A Love Like War
by psychncislover
Summary: The city of Yokohama was maintained by two Mafia Families. When an enemy targets the Nakahara Family, they find their only hopes lies in an alliance... with their greatest enemy, the Tsushima Family. But their help comes with a price - a marriage between the two heirs! Will both sides survive not only this enemy, but each other? Soukoku!
1. Prologue, Pt 1

So, I've been out of the writing game for a bit - life happened. What can you do? But this story kept niggling at my head and before I knew it, I was writing again. I absolutely love Bungo! It is amazing! Just, everything about it. So, I wanted to do a story for it. And, of course, my favorite ship for this series is Soukoku, followed by Shin Soukoku. I just adore their whole dynamic and partnership (brain and brawn, it's awesome). Plus, I just find Chuuya plain beautiful and Dazai's mind? Ooo, it's amazing. He knows all! Okay, enough fangirling - let's get to the story part.

This is, obviously, an AU, but still set in Yokohama with Abilities still being a thing. There is no ADA or Port Mafia, though the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs, Special Ability Department is still around, in charge of maintaining national security in light of matters to do with Gifted activity. Also, I am making Arahabaki a sentient sort-of deity who's closely tied to the origins of Abilities, and Chuuya is his "vessel" (as was his mother before him and so on) - think of Arahabaki being like the Tailed Beasts from Naruto; not evil, just a whole lot of power sealed inside. Corruption will still be a thing, but it'll be a form of his Ability used in conjunction with Arahabaki, making it exceedingly more powerful, but also more dangerous (other than that, same properties as the show). Also, Arahabaki isn't the only Ability Deity (as they will be referred to as, that or Gods), Atsushi will have one as well, named Byakko. Kind of important for you to understand that now, as they play a major role in this story. Okay, next new thing - both Chuuya and Dazai still have parents (they are OCs of my own design) that are alive; also, Chuuya and Kouyou are half-siblings (same father, different mother) and Mori will be Dazai's uncle (his sister, an OC, is Dazai's mom and married to his dad, another OC). And I have split the main characters into the two different factions. So, the main ruling force is the Mob (I would've done the Yakuza, but my understanding of all that is very limited and I would end up doing something wrong, so I'm sticking with what I know). Chuuya's father is head of the Nakahara Family and Dazai's father is head of the Tsushima Family (also, another thing, Dazai's actual last name will be Tsushima in this), and the two Families have been enemies since their creation, but they both represented the very darkness of the city—they basically ran everything that went on in the city, controlling both politics and economy, and were ruthless against anyone who opposed them in either mainstream or underground society. Additionally, Yokohama is maintained both by its legit businesses and its dark underground and without either, there would be no real revenue and the city would die. So, the two Families are deeply engrossed in both (legit business and dark underground), so taking either out would screw everything up. I think that's the main things I wanted to explain. If there's more as I continue with this story, I'll add new notes at the beginning or end of the chapter. Oh, that reminds me, I will be adding character descriptions at the end of the chapters (for the characters introduced), so if you're interested in that, you can read over it, if not, you can skip. I usually add the descriptions in the chapter as part of the story, but I decided to do it this way now. Okay, I think that's it.

Also, the idea that got me started on this story came from another story I've read. It's called "Where Your Loyalties Lie" by the wonderful writingfromtheshadows, and it is seriously one of the best fics I've ever read. You really need to read it. It's on AO3.

**This is an AU. Basically, all that remains are their names, faces, and some personality traits, but other than that, the characters in this story are, more or less, OOC.

* * *

It was never ending.

Death.

So much death, and it didn't look like it would be stopping soon. Three months of wondering why this was happening and what could be done to stop it. Three months of investigations on who could be behind it with nothing to show.

Nothing until _now_ , that is.

Kansuke Nakahara, head of the much feared yet widely respected Nakahara Mafia Family, held the piece of paper between his fingers, a frown marring his features. A single piece of paper, found pinned to a body of one of his men, with only a few short sentences. A message and a warning.

 _The absolute_ ** _nerve_ **_of these people._

There was then a few knocks on the door, before it was pushed open by his second-in-command, followed by the very person he needed to speak to, both entering without a word.

Yukichi Fukuzawa, his closest friend and righthand man, bowed his greeting before looking at him with his ice blue eyes. "You needed to see us, sir?"

" _Si formel,_ " the orange-haired woman standing next to Fukuzawa muttered before facing her husband with a raised brow. "What's going on, _mon amour?"_

Kansuke gave her a small smile, but still said nothing, paper crinkling in his tightening grip a little.

Colette Sidonie Nakahara, as beautiful as she was deadly, crossed her arms over her chest as her attention was brought to the paper he was holding. "And what might that be?"

Kansuke still said nothing, brows furrowed. Should he really show this to her? He was so sure it was the right decision ten minutes ago, but now…

"Kansuke, you're starting to worry me." Fukuzawa finally said after the silence went on for a bit too long. But from the look on the other man's face, something must have happened.

Finally sighing out, Kansuke smoothed out the piece of paper on his desk while beckoning for the two to come closer. "Another attack broke out, at the edge of the red light district this time."

Fukuzawa clenched his jaw while Colette cursed softly in French under breath. "How many were lost?"

"About thirty men." Kansuke said, a sad tone present in his voice. "A few bystanders were harmed as well. It could've been a lot worse, but it is still unacceptable."

"And it was by the same people we've been tracking for the past few months?" Fukuzawa asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Yes." Kansuke answered. "But this time was slightly different. They left behind something." He pushed the piece of paper on his desk forward, drawing the two's attention to it once more. " _This_ was left pinned to one of the bodies." He glanced up at his wife. "It was addressed to _you_ , Colette."

The woman was stunned silent, obviously.

"To Colette?" Fukuzawa repeated, confused, looking at the woman as well.

Kansuke nodded before looking up at Colette and handing her the letter. "It took me a minute to figure out, because it wasn't written in Japanese." A pause. "It was in _Italian_ , of all languages."

Colette's whole body tensed slightly, and it was only because the two men knew her so well that they noticed.

"Does that mean something to you?" Fukuzawa asked, turning fully to face her.

The French woman said nothing as she looked over the letter, but with each word she read, her face turned paler and paler before it looked like she was barely breathing, visibly shaken. After a few minutes, the paper slipped from her suddenly lax grip, fluttering to the floor.

"Colette?" Kansuke asked, worried as he got up from behind his desk, approaching the woman slowly. "My dear, what is it?"

 _"Ils m'ont trouvé. Comment m'ont-ils trouvé?_ _"_ she murmured under her breath, hand reaching back until it hit one of the chairs settled in front of the desk, sinking into it unsteadily. _"Tout est de ma faute._ "

Kansuke and Fukuzawa exchanged looks at her words, beyond lost. Even knowing what the letter had said, Kansuke didn't understand why it was causing Colette to, for lack of a better description, have a mini-breakdown.

Fukuzawa reached down and picked up the discarded paper while Kansuke gave his wife a bottle of water for her to drink. While Fukuzawa's Italian wasn't the best, he got the gist of the letter. But the most troubling part of it was the signature.

"Who is Kannushi?" he asked, looking over at Colette.

"A _what_ , not a _who_." Colette corrected, lips flattened into a straight line. "An organization from Italy, a ruthless one who will stop at _nothing_ to get what they want." She let out a rough breath. "They don't care what they have to do— kill, bribe, coerce, kidnap, it doesn't _matter_." She hugged her arms around herself tightly; she looked so small, nothing like the badass, confident woman who was in charge of the Family's defenses.

Kansuke laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze, before saying, "Why don't you start from the top? How exactly is this your fault?"

"They're after me." Colette said, lips twisted in a frown. "They've _been_ after me since I was eighteen. They're the reason my _papa_ is dead now," she looked up at Kansuke, a small smile making its way on her face, "but, ironically, they're also the reason we met."

"When you were living in Kyoto." Kansuke said, head tilted. "I always did wonder why a beautiful French woman was living in Japan, when she barely spoke the language."

A blush rose to her cheeks. "I didn't have much of choice. I didn't think they'd look there." She bit her bottom lip, looking to the side. "I don't know how they found me _now_ … and then figured out who I was married to." She then looked up at Kansuke, tears in her radiant oxford blue eyes. "That's why it's all my fault."

 _"You know what we want, Colette. And this can all stop if you give it to us."_ Fukuzawa suddenly said, reading a line from the paper, before looking over at her. "What, exactly, are they after?"

Her hand clenched in a fist before she laid it over her chest. "Power. Something stronger than any Ability." She dropped her hand before looking at both men. "They _want_ Arahabaki."

Stunned silence filled the room as the two continued to stare at Colette in disbelief.

"They want the God?" Fukuzawa asked just as Kansuke asked, "They knew you were a vessel?"

Colette nodded to both questions anyway. "They do. Kannushi has one goal, and that's to find all of those who are vessels to the Ability deities."

"For what purpose?" Fukuzawa asked while Kansuke squeezed Colette's hand.

"If you believe what is said, it is to "eliminate the evil beings of this world", but that's a load of _connerie_." She scowled. "All they _want_ is the power these Gods possess. Even greater than what mere Abilities could ever hope to offer."

"How did they know about you? That you were a vessel, I mean." Fukuzawa asked, crossing his arms. "I thought that the names of the families connected with these Gods were a closely guarded secret." If they weren't, there would be a lot more people trying to get their hands on that much _power_.

It was the reason why so few people in the Nakahara Family knew about any of that, after all.

"They are." Colette said, wiping a few tears from her eyes. "All vessels know not to talk about it, as do the rest of the families." She swallowed roughly. "But there are some who keep a… registry, so to speak, of the families, a way to keep track of them all."

Kansuke and Fukuzawa's eyebrows both raised in surprise. They did not know that.

"Who would have that information?" Fukuzawa finally asked.

"Very few, but one that I know of for sure is the Vatican." Colette answered.

 **…**

"The _Vatican?!"_ both men shouted, too surprised not to.

She gave a nod.

"As in, the Pope, Catholic church, located in the middle of Italy… _that_ Vatican?!" Kansuke almost shouted, stunned, hands flying every which way.

She hid a small smile at the reaction— _he could always make her smile, no matter the situation_ —before nodding once more.

"How do you know that?" Kansuke asked a few moments later, once he wrapped his head around that little tidbit.

"Because Kannushi actually came _from_ the Vatican, before they split off for some reason or another." Colette said, managing to surprise the two men into silence once again. "It was one of the things they taunted me with before, when they tried to kidnap me the first time. Like they thought that would make me listen to them any better."

The two men needed a minute to digest the information.

Kansuke then looked over at his wife at last. "So, let me get this straight. A splinter group from the Vatican, the Kannushi, are after you because of Arahabaki, wanting that power." He said, trying to lay out all the facts to make sure he understood it all. "You fled from them, found yourself in Japan, and now that they somehow found out where you've _been_ , they're doing everything they can to draw you out." He let out a breath, running a hand through his mahogany red hair. "Does that about sum it up?"

Colette nodded.

The room descended into silence, the three occupants each lost in their own thoughts. Ten minutes went by like this.

Until, suddenly, Colette stood up and, taking in a deep breath, looked back at her husband with a fire in her eyes. "To stop all this… this violence and killing, all I have to do is go to them. Turn myself over." She visibly steadied herself. "If it will keep the rest of you safe, I'll—"

" _That_ is not even an option, Colette." Kansuke snapped, not letting her finish her sentence. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Kansuke, please, it's the only—" she was cut off again, but by Fukuzawa this time.

"Kansuke is right, Collette," the silver-haired man said, giving the woman a calm, but firm look.

"You two aren't thinking clearly about this." Colette argued back. "It makes the most sense. It will stop everything."

"But it won't." Fukuzawa said slowly back, earning a confused look from both husband and wife. "You said the only reason they want you is because of Arahabaki." Colette nodded, still confused. "What do you think will happen when they _get_ you, and then find out you're no longer in possession of the God?"

Colette bit her lower-lip. She actually hadn't thought about that, too focused on doing something to stop all the killing, the killing that was all _her_ fault. But Fukuzawa had a point…

"Exactly." Fukuzawa said, seeing the answer in the woman's eyes. "They'll kill you without a second thought before setting their sights back on us." He made sure to look right at her, made sure he had her complete attention for this next part. "And how long do you think it'll take until they find out where Arahabaki actually _is?"_

Colette paled, heart clenching. "No…"

"They'll go after our son, Colette." Kansuke said, picking up on Fukuzawa's train of thought. "They'll go after Chuuya."

"And who knows how many more people they will kill to get him." Fukuzawa stated before softening some. "I know you want to do what you can to stop this, we all do, but turning yourself over will amount to nothing but you dead."

Colette sank back into the chair behind her, burrowing her face in her hands. "What can we _do_ , then? Nothing we've been trying has worked so far!" She stomped her foot down in frustration, but after accidentally activating her Ability, _Le Pur et L'Impur_ , it resulted in a small crater in the floor with the added gravity in her step.

Neither man said anything at the destruction, still focused on the problem at hand.

"Has Ranpo come up with anything since the last time we spoke?" Kansuke finally asked Fukuzawa, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against his desk.

"Nothing new." Fukuzawa answered, then his face turned thoughtful as something occurred to him. "But he doesn't have _all_ the facts."

"The boy _does_ do his best work when he has all the information available to him." Kansuke murmured, rubbing the stubble on his chin.

"Ranpo needs to be read in." Colette finally said, voice slightly muffled, before she lifted her head from her hands.

"You don't mind?" Kansuke asked, knowing this was her secret and, therefore, her decision.

"If it stops all this, then no, I don't mind." Colette said, before a small smile tilted her lips up. "Plus, I doubt Ranpo doesn't already suspect. He's too smart for his own good sometimes." She straightened herself, wiping her eyes one last time. "I trust him."

"Yukichi?" Kansuke asked, looking over at his friend, who already had his phone out and contacting said person.

After waiting in silence for about five minutes, there was a knock on the door before it was pushed open, Ranpo Edogawa making his way inside, usually closed bold green eyes glancing around in curiosity.

"Thanks for coming, Ranpo." Kansuke said after the four of them made themselves comfortable on the couches located along the right side of his office.

"No problem, boss." Ranpo said, waving it off as he munched on the bag of candy he had brought with him. Nothing unusual there. "So, what's up?" Taking another handful of candy, he looked between the other three before asking, "Does it have to do with the attacks?"

"It does." Fukuzawa answered for Kansuke, causing Ranpo to flick his eyes over to the man.

"You have new information." Ranpo said, not even a question now. There was a reason Ranpo was their head strategist—the guy _was_ that smart, a certified genius, even if he sometimes acted like a child. "And it's something you're nervous to tell me. Or, well, to anyone, actually." Silence from the other three was the only answer he got. His eyes moved to Colette. "It has to do with you." Though suspecting Ranpo knew something about her past, it was still a bit of a shock to have it confirmed.

"Spot on as usual, Ranpo." Kansuke said with a small smile.

"Well, of course! Nothing can get past me or my amazing Ability, after all." Ranpo bragged, per usual, before stuffing his mouth once more. "So, what is it?"

"Colette?" Kansuke said, looking at his wife.

Colette looked over at him, nodding, before back to Ranpo as she then explained everything she had just told to Kansuke and Fukuzawa, as well as her family's history of being the vessel to one of the Ability deities, and who the current vessel now is. Ranpo listened attentively, theories and hypotheses he'd had about the woman slowly being confirmed, still munching on his snack. Once Colette finished with her story, she leaned back into her husband as the redhead looked at the black-haired man.

"Now that you have _all_ the facts, is there something you can come up with?" Kansuke asked, running a soothing hand through Colette's light copper orange curls.

Ranpo just raised an incredulous eyebrow at the man, like even questioning his ability to do so was ludicrous.

He then hopped up from the couch before reaching into his pocket, retrieving a pair of black-framed rectangular glasses—the object needed to use his Ability. After placing them on, he murmured, _"Ultra-Deduction"_ before his so-called Ability was activated. The other three in the room then watched as Ranpo's mind began to race far faster than they could ever hope to match.

Ranpo addressed and dismissed strategy after strategy, mind still sorting through all the information available to him, before landing on the only plan that was viable to actually _work_. But it was a _risky_ one. Not to mention a little insane.

"Ranpo?" Fukuzawa asked, seeing the black-haired man wind down from using his Ability. "You have something."

"Of course." Ranpo answered simply, pushing the frames of his glasses back up.

"Well, what is it?" Colette asked after the silence stretched on for too long. "What can we do?"

"We'll never be able to combat this enemy alone. The organization is simply better prepared and more well-informed than we are, or could ever be at this point." Ranpo stated, tapping on his glasses. "These past few months are proof of that." And as much as he hates to admit it… "Their plans are simply better than any I could come up with. Whoever is in charge of setting up their strategies is good at what they do."

"So we don't have a chance?" Colette asked, burning at the mere notion.

"I never said that." Ranpo said, readjusting the chocolate brown newsboy cap resting on his head.

"But you just said—" Colette started, now turning confused, before being cut off.

"I said we can't beat them _alone_." Ranpo said, emphasizing the last word. "But we can with help."

"Who's help?" Kansuke asked, seeing Ranpo getting to a point.

Ranpo hesitated for a few moments, very out of character for him, before saying one word, "Tsushima."

Absolute silence reigned in the office.

 _"Tsushima_ … as in the Tsushima Family?" Kansuke asked, though already knowing the answer. "The Mafia Family that might as well be our mortal enemies? _That_ Tsushima Family?"

"Yes, them." Ranpo said with a firm nod. "It's the only way we can win without more senseless bloodshed."

"Why them?" Fukuzawa asked, because while the idea was out there— _way_ out there—Ranpo must have a reason. When his Ability and mind were needed for the good of the Family, Ranpo rarely makes his strategies without logic and reason backing it up.

"Both Families rule Yokohama, and for very good reasons." Ranpo started, plopping back down on the couch and grabbing a new snack bag, chips this time, from god knows where. "The Nakahara Family keeps it's control through power, through _brute force_ , and the fear and respect that show of power garners. If someone goes up against us, they're crushed. It's how it's always been." Kansuke nodded, because that was how the Nakahara Family has always operated, as far back as he could remember. "The Tsushima Family, on the other hand, don't have that raw _physical_ power to fall back on. They're strong, don't get me wrong, but nowhere near the Nakahara's level. So, instead, they maintain _their_ control through well thought out strategies and practically flawless predictions. Logic, mind games, psychology— _those_ are how the Tsushima Family stay in power. They don't need to attack the body when the mind is essentially their playground." He tilted his head in thought. "Simply put, if the Nakahara rely more on the _physical_ , then the Tsushima relied more on the _mental_." A precarious balance that somehow worked for the city, now that Ranpo thinks about it.

"And?" Colette asked when Ranpo stopped to take another handful of chips.

"Brute force can only get you so far, unfortunately. And going from the last few months, it isn't working. The enemy is strong. Strong and well-organized with amazing tactical capabilities." Ranpo threw more chips into his mouth, munching thoughtfully. "Plus, we don't even know who it is calling the shots, all we've been dealing with are the grunts. So, if we're going to _win_ , we're going to need a better strategy. A better strategy and more information. And _that's_ where the Tsushima Family comes in." Another handful of chips made its way into his mouth. "They excel at strategy, even more than I do." It hurt to admit it, but he had to lay all the cards on the table to get the three in the room to understand how serious he was about this. After thinking through every strategy with all the information he had, _this_ is what his Ability pointed to being the best solution. And _Ultra-Deduction_ has yet to fail him.

"I'm sure you understand that the Tsushima Family would have absolutely no reason to help us, Ranpo." Kansuke stated, though he figured the other already knew that.

"We'll have to persuade them to, then." Ranpo said, dead serious. "Otherwise, more bodies will pile up… and then it'll be only a matter of time before they get their hands on Colette, and then Chuuya."

Kansuke, leaning back against the sofa, thought over everything Ranpo just said. It was a fact that the Tsushima Family were prodigies when it came to strategies, and most of the _actual_ family were certified geniuses. No doubt that they were smart, but the problem remained the same… the Tsushima Family had no actual reason to ally themselves with the Nakahara Family. Though, now that he thinks about it, it might not be all too hard to at least _talk_ to them about it. The Nakahara and Tsushima Families have been adversaries for as long as anyone could remember, but as of late, it hasn't been _as_ bad since he and his counterpart in the Tsushima Family, Shuuji Tsushima, took over as the heads of their respective Families. He'd even describe it as a somewhat neutral relationship—they no longer went out of their way to attack the other, though that's not to say that they _wouldn't_ attack each other if they both ended up in the same area. It helped that their interests were now completely different, so they never overlapped there. So, in theory, it _might_ be possible…

He glanced over at Colette, head buried back in her hands, a slight tremble shaking her shoulders, and knew he had already come to a decision. There really was no choice. Without even taking the amount of their people dying into account as of the past three months, letting this Kannushi continue to run free put, and _kept_ , Colette in danger, not to mention Chuuya if— no, _when_ they figured out he was the current vessel of Arahabaki. And once they figure _that_ out, what's to stop them from learning about Atsushi? He's in the same boat as Chuuya, a vessel to an ancient God. This foolishness cannot continue to escalate. It _can't_.

"Yukichi." Kansuke said, raising his head and straightening his posture, staring right at his second, now portraying the head of a fearsome Family he actually was. "I need you to get into contact with the Tsushima Family. Set up some kind of meeting." At Fukuzawa's blank yet startled look, he raised an eyebrow. "You're still close to _him_ , aren't you?"

"Are you sure about this?" Colette asked him while Fukuzawa regained his composure. "There's no guarantee this will even _work_."

Kansuke moved his steady gaze to his wife before taking her hand, squeezing it. "We have to at least try. Ranpo said this is the only way," he glanced over at the raven-haired man, "and he has yet to be wrong… about anything." His gaze softened some as it returned to Colette. "The longer these monsters run free, the more danger you're in." His eyes hardened once more. "You _and_ Chuuya. And I will not allow my family to be put in danger if there is something I can do about it… even if that something is asking help from a decades-long enemy organization." He then looked over at Fukuzawa, gaze steady. "Plus, Chuuya isn't the only _vessel_ we have here." By the stiffening of Fukuzawa's body and slight paling of his face, he hadn't even thought about that.

"Atsushi." Fukuzawa murmured the name of his (adoptive) son, before taking in a deep, steadying breath and facing Kansuke. "Alright, I'll pass along a message and try to set up a meet."

"When you do, I'd like you to go to it, Yukichi." Kansuke said, giving Colette's hand one last squeeze before getting up and heading over to his desk, the silver-haired man following behind him. "Bring Kunikida with you, just in case. Tanizaki too." He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a piece of stationary before grabbing a pen.

"Understood." Fukuzawa stated, watching as Kansuke composed a quick message before signing it. "What am I to tell them, though?"

Sealing the paper into an envelope, Kansuke thought about that for a moment. "Well, I doubt they're completely clueless about what's been happening with us." He handed the envelope over to Fukuzawa. "After all, like Ranpo said, information _is_ there speciality." Fukuzawa nodded, tucking the letter away, as the redhead tapped his chin in thought before coming to a decision. "Alright. Tell them just about everything, then."

Fukuzawa eyebrows raised in surprise and shock. _"Everything?"_

"Just _about_ everything." Kansuke corrected. "Leave out the bits about vessels, for obvious reasons."

Fukuzawa nodded again at that, before another thought occurred. "What am I asking of them, exactly."

"For their help." Kansuke said, steepling his fingers. "More specifically, an alliance."

"They're going to want something in return." Ranpo stated, startling the two men; they didn't think Ranpo would be contributing anything else. He usually doesn't after giving his thoughts, after all.

"Ranpo's correct." Fukuzawa said regardless. "They won't give something unless they're gaining something in return. It's how they operate. At least, as far as I am aware." And given his _close_ relations to a _certain_ higher-up in the Tsushima Family, he's pretty well-informed on how they work, better than most.

Kansuke's eyes flicker over to Colette, now dozing on the couch, tired from the rollercoaster of emotions she just experienced, before back to Fukuzawa. "Anything they want, within reason." He sighed, glancing out the window. "Land, money, business rights, a favor… hell, I don't care. All I care about it getting _rid_ of this threat."

"You're absolutely sure about doing this?" Fukuzawa asked once again. "The Tsushima's won't forget about this if they don't accept. It could be taken as a sign of weakness."

"I'm sure, Yukichi. It's not like I really care what those eggheads think about us." He then smirked as a thought occurred to him. "Plus, we can always just go back to kicking their asses when these outsiders are gone."

Fukuzawa smiled some in amusement at that before nodding once more. "I will see what I can do then, sir." He then bowed before motioning to Ranpo, who got up from his chair to follow after the silver-haired man. "Goodnight, Kansuke."

Kansuke nodded his goodbye to Fukuzawa before looking over at Ranpo. "Ranpo?" the man turned to him, brow raised in question. "Thank you for your help. Your assistance is always valued and appreciated."

Ranpo gave him a saucy salute, smiling. "Of course it is! Nothing can ever get done without my _Ultra-Deduction_ , can it? You guys would be lost without me." Then the two were gone, door closing behind them with a _click_.

Resting his head on his desk, atop his crossed arms, Kansuke hoped he made the right decision.

* * *

 **Character Descriptions (ones mentioned in chapter)**

\- Kansuke Nakahara (OC): shoulder-length, straight, sleek mahogany red hair, parted to the left; ruby red eyes; a fair complexion; a lean, muscular body with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; a slight amount of facial hair on chin; 6'1"  
Role: Don/Boss of the Nakahara Family; CEO of Nakahara Enterprises  
Age: 45  
Birthday: July 14  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: Portraits and Pictures  
the ability to alter the shape and appearance of any object, including living organisms, into whatever he wished; he pictured the art in his mind and when he touched an object or person, they became the art he had envisioned, though it was harder to do on living organisms than it was with inanimate objects  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Kenjutsu, Shinkendo, Kendo, Judo, Jujutsu, and Muay Thai  
effective in Close-Quarters Combat  
gifted intellect, master assassin, and skilled in tactics, psychological warfare, espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
skilled lip reader, cryptographer, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Nodachi: a moderately curved, slender, single-edged, black blade with a silver edge; a burgundy red tsuka-ito (hilt-wrapping) with black samegawa (ray skin wrap), a gold elliptical tsuba (hand-guard), and a gold kashira (pommel); a light gray saya (scabbard) with a black sageo (cord) tied near the opening and a gold kojiri (end cap)  
Main Outfit: a burgundy red double-breasted waistcoat; a light gray dress shirt—top two buttons left undone and sleeves worn rolled up; black dress slacks; a black belt with a silver buckle; dark brown leather, low-arch, mid-heeled, ankle boots; Nodachi—kept sheathed on the back

\- Colette Sidonie Nakahara (OC): butt-length, curly light copper orange hair, parted to the left, with choppy bangs and twin chest-length side-locks; oxford blue eyes; a fair complexion; a petite, slender body with a hourglass figure, average bust, flat stomach, and slender legs; a heart-shaped face; dainty features; long eyelashes; 5'3"; cherry red lipstick; a red iris flower—pinned over left ear  
Role: Consigliere/Executive/Head of Defenses of the Nakahara Family; COO of Nakahara Enterprises  
Age: 40  
Birthday: August 3  
Nationality: French  
Ability: Le Pur et L'Impur (The Pure and the Impure)  
former vessel for the God of Destruction and Calamity, Arahabaki  
the ability to create, shape and manipulate gravity (a natural phenomenon by which all physical bodies attract each other) and gravitons (elementary particles that mediate the force of gravitation); she's able to bend gravity to make the environment very "heavy" or "light", cause objects to "fall" toward another object instead of the Earth ("nexus inducing"), flatten objects, and generate miniature black holes to compress objects into oblivion; able to repel and attract matter and energy, regardless of its mass  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Taekwondo, Savate, Savate du Rue, Savate Knife Fighting, Wing Chun, Kung-Fu, Karate, Aikido, Judo, Jujutsu, Muay Thai, Kali Knife Fighting, Gyrisajutsu, and Close-Quarters Combat  
master assassin and interrogator and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
master acrobat: an extraordinary master acrobat, gymnast, and aerialist; often utilized in combat for both evasive and offensive purposes; combined with extremely enhanced agility, had expertise in utilizing parkour and tricking flips in attacks and takedowns  
skilled thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Gerber Yari II Tanto: a tanto-style, partially serrated, stainless steel blade with a full tang construction; a hard anodized aluminum handle  
Stiletto Daggers: a long, slender, stainless steel blade with a needle-like point and a narrow cross-section; a small black hilt; a silver cross-guard  
Main Outfit: a black sateen trench coat with large lapels, a double-breasted front, and a tie belt—left open; a white georgette wrap-effect blouse with amaranth red painterly bloom prints allover, a ruffled draped panel along the front, an elasticated waist, and a matching camisole underneath; black cashmere-blend, flared, dress pants; black leather, high-heeled, ankle boots with square toes accented by silver hardware and elasticated side tabs; silver bubble hoop earrings; twin Stiletto Daggers—kept up the sleeves, in specialized harness; Gerber Yari II Tanto—kept sheathed on lower-back, in pants

\- Yukichi Fukuzawa: clavicle-length, straight, messy silver hair, parted in the middle, with thick, messy fringe and twin chin-length side-locks; metallic ice blue eyes; a light tan complexion; a lean, muscular body with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; slight eye-bags under eyes; 6'1"  
Role: Underboss/Second-in-Command of the Nakahara Family; President of Nakahara Enterprises  
Age: 45  
Birthday: January 10  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: All Men Are Equal  
allowed an individual Gifted greater control over their own Ability; able to adjust the power of one's Abilities so that they may be controlled; field of range applied only to those of his choosing (the Nakahara Family)  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Kenjutsu, Shinkendo, Kendo, Wing Chun, Kung-Fu, Karate, Judo, Jujutsu, and Muay Thai  
effective in Close-Quarters Combat  
master tactician and well-versed in the art of observation, perception, deductive reasoning and interrogation  
gifted intellect, master assassin and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
skilled lie detector, lip reader, cryptographer, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Silver Wolf: a katana; a moderately curved, slender, single-edged, black blade with a silver edge; a dark navy blue tsuka-ito (hilt-wrapping) with white samegawa (ray skin wrap), a dark bronze elliptical tsuba (hand-guard), and a dark bronze kashira (pommel); a painted black saya (scabbard) with a dark bronze kojiri (end cap)  
Main Outfit: a black mantle with golden borders and wide sleeves—worn draped over shoulders like a cape; a fern green long yukata with white trimming and wide sleeves, kept closed by a hunter green obi-belt; white shin tabi socks; straw zōri sandals; Silver Wolf—kept sheathed at left hip, in obi-belt

\- Ranpo Edogawa: nape-length, spiky, messy ebony black hair with long, choppy fringe; bold green eyes; a fair complexion; a slim, wiry body with slender shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; eyes kept closed most of the time; 5'6"  
Role: Consigliere/Executive/Head Strategist of the Nakahara Family; Administrative Services Manager of Nakahara Enterprises  
Age: 26  
Birthday: October 21  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: Ultra-Deduction  
allowed him to deduce the "truth" and to find information and clues about a certain situation no matter how small, and with them instantaneously make extremely precise predictions; none of his deductions were known to be erroneous or inaccurate; "activated" by putting on a pair of black-framed rectangular glasses  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Close-Quarters Combat  
genius intellect: a certified genius; incredibly intelligent  
master tactician: a masterful strategist; able to formulate battle strategies and brilliant tactical sense allowed to alter any strategy to fit the changing needs of the situation  
well-versed in the art of observation, perception, deductive reasoning and interrogation and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
skilled lie detector, lip reader, cryptographer, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Main Outfit: a chocolate brown tweed inverness cape—draped over the shoulders, kept in place by twin black buttons; a black vest; a white dress shirt; a lilac purple tie; chocolate brown tweed capri pants; white knee socks; black loafers; a chocolate brown newsboy cap

* * *

So, how was that? I hope it's a good beginning. It will be a little slow starting while I set everything up, but once the information part gets done, the real story will start, I promise.

Just to clarify, Kansuke and Colette are OCs, who are Chuuya's parents - and Kouyou's dad and stepmom (her biological mother was killed prior to Kansuke meeting Colette, four years later).

Translations (I do apologize if any of this French is wrong - I got it off Google translate, I do not speak the language)  
\- Si formel: So formal  
\- mon amour: my love  
\- Ils m'ont trouvé. Comment m'ont-ils trouvé?: They found me. How did they find me?  
\- Tout est de ma faute: This is all my fault.  
\- connerie: shit


	2. Prologue, Pt 2

_One Week Later…_

Fukuzawa glanced up at the outside of the small tea house, looking inconspicuous enough, if not for the reason he was there for. He glanced over to the side, watching his two companions for their reactions.

Doppo Kunikida looked unruffled as usual, his prized notebook gripped tightly in one hand while the other was held up as he checked his wristwatch. At the other end of the spectrum, Junichirou Tanizaki looked more nervous than he's ever remembered the teen looking before. Not that that's a big surprise, to be honest. Anyone would be a little nervous when they found out they were going to a meeting with a rival Family, after all. And with no explanation to boot.

"Mr. Fukuzawa?" Tanizaki asked, his voice a little wobbly.

"Yes?" the silver-haired man asked, looking over at the teen again.

"Not to be rude, sir, but why am I here?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm sure there were better options to bring with you rather than me, to such an important meeting." And by _important_ , he meant _dangerous_.

"That's obvious, Tanizaki." Kunikida answered instead, pushing his glasses up. "It's the ideal solution." At the teen's continued confusion, he explained, "If something were to happen, your Ability is our best option to get out of the situation with minimal bloodshed."

Tanizaki looked a little shocked at that before straightening up, and finally steeling his nerves. "Of course. I understand." He looked at the two older men. "I will do my best, then."

Fukuzawa gave him an appreciative nod but before heading inside, he gave the other two a serious look. "During this meeting, let me do most of the talking, understood?" He got immediate nods from the two, thankfully. "Alright then, let's go."

The three Nakahara members entered the small tea house, glancing around briefly before a young blonde woman, dressed nicely in a kimono, greeted them. But Fukuzawa couldn't help but notice that, as Kunikida spoke with the woman, the room was completely empty, something that seemed odd for the time of day. Also, the blonde now leading them further into the building seemed rather familiar, like he's seen her somewhere before…

But before he could think anymore on that topic, the woman was then asking them to hand over their weapons, which they did—one katana and two handguns—smoothly, not wanting to make a scene; understanding why that was asked of them. The blonde then bowed to them before knocking on the door she led them to, sliding it open when she got an affirmative sound from inside. Bowing once more, she left the group, heading back to the front of the room with their weapons in tow.

Stepping into the doorway, Fukuzawa counted three people sitting in the almost square-shaped room, and from what he could see, they were all armed in one way or another. One he knew always carried at least a gun and a few scalpels on him, on the second he could see the slight outline of a gun holster underneath the jacket, and from the way the third was sitting, a gun was mostly likely tucked in the waistband at the back. Unarm them while keeping weapons for themselves; seemed about right, if he was being honest. They would've done the same thing. _And it wasn't like they were powerless without conventional weapons anyway._

The occupants in the room were each glancing at them curiously as well, though one had an amused smile now settling on his lips. That man, sitting neatly in the middle of the low rectangular table, was the one Fukuzawa knew quite well—Ougai Mori, the Underboss in the Tsushima Family, his counterpart. He was also a person Fukuzawa's known for many years, even before they rose to their current positions; in all honesty, their relationship was quite… complicated. Even he didn't know what they were. The man was a confusing riddle most of the time. Another quick look around the room showed him that the man did not have his Ability active, as he didn't see the form of the young blonde girl Mori's Ability took anywhere.

His eyes then flickered over to the redhead sitting to the left of Mori, recognizing him as well—Sakunosuke Oda, the man who was in charge of the Tsushima's legal affairs; it made him Kunikida's counterpart, as the blond man handled the legal affairs of the Nakahara's. And if the rumors were to be trusted, he was quite dangerous as well. It was the third man in the room, wrapped almost head to toe in white bandages, that threw Fukuzawa for a loop. Burgundy brown eyes met his with amusement, head tilted to the side and a slight smirk lifting his mouth; no doubt he just read Fukuzawa's confusion.

 _What was Osamu Dazai Tsushima, heir apparent of the Tsushima Family, even **doing** at this meeting? Mori, as the second-in-command, was more than enough representation for this meeting, there really was no need for the brunet to be here. _

"Yukichi Fukuzawa, Underboss of the Nakahara Family." Mori finally spoke, his steady voice breaking the quiet. "It's been quite a bit of time since we last saw each other."

"Underboss of the Tsushima Family, Ougai Mori," the silver-haired man responded as he stepped further into the room, the other two following behind. "It has been some time. I hope you've been well."

"Very." Mori answered, tilting his head before motioning to the open cushions in front of the wooden table. "Why don't you and your friends join us? The tea is quite good here. Oh!" He then acted as though something just occurred to him, which was a farce, of course—people like Mori, those with a chess master's mind, had almost everything planned out, almost nothing truly surprising them. "Where are my manners? Let me introduce you. I don't believe you've met them before." Mori motioned to the redhead next to him, "This is Sakunosuke Oda, our lawyer, among other things, and this," he motioned to the brunet at the head of the table, "is Osamu Dazai, our head strategist and, of course, the Tsushima Family's only heir."

Fukuzawa respectively bowed his head to the two men before motioning behind himself. "And this is Doppo Kunikida and Junichirou Tanizaki, my associates." The two nodded their heads as well before finally taking a seat, Fukuzawa situated across from Mori and the other two to his left.

The first thirty minutes of the meeting was basically spent preparing, and then enjoying, the tea as both sides collected their thoughts. Neither side wanted to be the first side to break the silence, but the Tsushima's were just too curious to stay quiet any longer. They were never big on not knowing something, though that didn't mean they didn't _suspect_ things.

"So, Yukichi, what is this about?" Mori finally asked as he looked at the other man, one of his hands idly stirring the contents of his tea cup, before tilting his head to the side. "You can imagine our surprise when we received your letter, written and signed by Kansuke Nakahara himself, asking to set up a meeting." He folded his hands and rested his chin on top of them. "I must say, you've piqued our curiosity."

Fukuzawa took a sip from his cup, enjoying the soothing flavor, before placing it back down on the table and looking back at Mori. "I assume you know about the attacks that have been happening to us over the past few months?"

"It might have crossed our desks at some point." Mori said nonchalantly, which really meant that _yes, we are well aware of what's been going on_.

"We now know the identity of the group behind these attacks." Fukuzawa stated, causing both Kunikida and Tanizaki to look at him in surprise. They hadn't been read in yet to these new facts, no one else had, Kansuke thinking it best to keep the information close, until this meeting, at least. "A foreign organization with interesting origins." All Mori did was raise an eyebrow, but nodded for Fukuzawa to continue, so he did—telling the raven-haired man, as well as everyone in the room, all that they've discovered thus far, but keeping out _certain_ facts (something that didn't go unnoticed by Mori, or Dazai).

Once Fukuzawa was done with his explanation, he sat back and waited for Mori's response, taking another sip of his tea.

"That is all very… interesting, Yukichi," Mori finally said, brushing back a piece of his hair, "but I don't see what any of that has to do with the Tsushima Family."

 _Well, it's now or never._ "The Nakahara Family wants to… request your assistance in this matter." Fukuzawa finally got out, ignoring the gaping expressions on both Kunikida and Tanizaki's faces—that was also kept a secret until now.

"Oho?" Mori's eyebrows raised, slightly surprised. "Is that so? Why is that, I wonder."

"It was brought to our attention that your help is required if we wish to stop our problem." Fukuzawa answered, folding his hands together within his yukata's sleeves.

A smirk graced Mori's face, his bright magenta eyes sharpening almost instantly. "Just what does Ranpo have to say about all this, then? Last I checked, _he_ was your strategist. Wouldn't it be better to talk to him?"

Fukuzawa fought the urge to grind his teeth, or throw his cup at Mori's face—the man always brings out the _violent_ in him, especially when he asks questions he _already knows the answers to_. But he answers anyway, " _This_ was Ranpo's idea, actually." The smirk growing on Mori's face gave away that the man _did_ already suspect that.

"So you wish to, what exactly?" Oda asked when it looked like Mori wasn't going to add anything else.

Before Fukuzawa could answer that, the brunet at the head of the table, silent up until now, answered with, "That should be obvious, OdaSaku! They want an alliance." His reddish-brown gaze was alight with amusement, yet as sharp as a blade. "Isn't that right, Mr. Fukuzawa?"

The silver-haired man paused for a moment, looking at the young heir thoughtfully, before nodding. "Yes, that is correct, Mr. Tsushima."

A look of almost childish disgust flashed across the brunet's face then. "Don't call me _that!_ It makes me sound so _old!_ Just call me Dazai. Everyone does."

The three from the Nakahara Family were a little taken aback at this behavior, coming from the _heir_ of the other Family. If Fukuzawa didn't know any better, he'd write off this boy as a childish fool… but he _does_ know better. Knows enough to know that Osamu Dazai Tsushima was regarded as a prodigal _genius_ , even more so than his own father, and his skills and mind alone have earned him quite the reputation as well as the nickname the Demon Prodigy. He was the _last_ person you ever wanted to face off against. He also always had several ways out of anything anyone could throw at him.

"Very well, _Dazai…_ but you are correct." Fukuzawa said, eyes now focused on the young heir. "We don't have any hope of beating our enemy alone, Ranpo made that quite clear to us." He laid his hands on the table, looking between both Dazai and Mori seriously. "We, the Nakahara Family, wish to ask you, the Tsushima Family, for an alliance."

Dazai hummed out thoughtfully before looking over at the raven-haired man. "What do you think, Uncle Mori?" But by the tone of his voice, not only did he have an answer, he also knew something like _this_ was going to happen.

Mori looked over at his nephew, eyebrow raised in bemusement, before back over at Fukuzawa again. "If we _were_ to accept your proposal, what would be in it for us?" His smirk widened. "Unfortunately, we can't just hand out our assistance from the good of our hearts, especially to the Family we've been fighting with for decades."

Fukuzawa resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "We are very well aware of that. Which is why my boss gave me the authorization to give you whatever you ask for," he paused before adding, "within reason, of course."

"Mr. Fukuzawa?" Kunikida then questioned, surprised, as he looked over at the other man. _What was happening here?_

Fukuzawa held up his hand to silence the blond man, eyes never leaving Mori's.

The raven-haired man's eyes almost glowed eerily, fingers tapping a pattern on the table. "That _is_ very tempting." His eyes slid over to Dazai's, the two appearing to have a silent conversation with just their glances, before Mori nodded slightly and looked back to Fukuzawa. "We _might_ have an idea on what we want."

The silver-haired man raised an eyebrow in question, motioning for him to continue.

"My dear brother-in-law has actually been thinking about an alliance with your Family for a few years now." Mori started, ignoring the surprised faces of the three in front of him. "After he and Kansuke Nakahara rose to power, it seemed the two did what they could to… untangle our Families from each other's businesses." He paused to take a sip of tea. "If I'm being honest, I was surprised at how well it all worked out. So, there's never really been a good enough reason to _make_ an alliance." He tapped his fingers on the table once more. "But the true problem with alliances is not in making them, but in _keeping_ them."

"What do you mean by that?" Fukuzawa asked, head tilted in question.

"Have you ever read the works of Schelling?" Mori questioned back instead of answering. "Or perhaps you're more familiar with Kissinger?"

"Both are researchers of strategic studies." Dazai offered when Fukuzawa, and the other two, remained quietly confused. "Taught by a certain you-know-who."

"I do read Sun Tzu." Fukuzawa said, looking between Dazai and Mori, not quite sure where this was going.

"There is a parallel between state warfare and the strategies of illegal organizations such as ourselves." Mori continues on, ignoring the near palpable confusion in the room. "No one exists to punish either of us, should we violate agreements. What if the Tsushima Family suddenly breaks this agreement? Or, what if the Nakahara Family betrays us? The party that trusted in the agreement would be the only one to suffer. Under circumstances that reward the first to commit a betrayal, a half-hearted alliance cannot be established." He took another sip of tea before continuing. "The only possibility is for complete cooperation."

"Is that not what we're asking for?" Fukuzawa asked after he digested Mori's words.

"You are," Mori nodded, "that is true. But words alone are meaningless."

"Then what—" Fukuzawa was cut off.

"There _is_ , however, a rational path towards a proper alliance." Mori said, ignoring Fukuzawa's words and leaning back a little. "Advance payment is the essence of trust."

"What does—" the silver-haired man started again but Mori continued talking like he hadn't spoken.

"One party initially incurs a loss up front, with the prospect of gaining a return hundreds of times over." Mori locks his eyes with Fukuzawa's then. "Only _then_ will an alliance quell bad blood."

"What are you suggesting?" Fukuzawa asked, wishing the raven-haired man would _get to the point_.

"For you to offer up that advance payment, of course." Mori answered, waving his hand around in the air. "You are the ones asking for our help. In a matter that does not directly affect us. But if you give us this advance payment, _your_ return will be our assistance in forcing this foreign organization out of Yokohama. Which is what you're needing."

"What were you thinking of for this "advance payment", Ougai?" Fukuzawa asked, barely restraining the urge to snap.

Mori laced his fingers once more before resting his chin on them—his usual thinking pose. "Between two Families as steeped in hate as ours, there's really only one thing that will assure the alliance will hold, with almost no chance of a betrayal."

Fukuzawa had about enough of this man talking in riddles. "Ougai, would you just _get to the point?"_

His frustration caused the raven-haired man to smirk in amusement while Dazai and Oda exchanged eye-rolls. "Very well, no need to get upset." He waved his hand, like _Fukuzawa_ was being the unreasonable one. "What is _needed_ is a union."

Fukuzawa's frustration was replaced with confusion once again. "A union?" Mori nodded his head, still amused. "What _kind_ of union, exactly?"

"Maybe _union_ was a poor word choice." Mori said with a fake apologetic tone. "I think _marriage_ works much better." He locked gazes with Fukuzawa again. "Does that clear things up?"

 _Not in the slightest._ "A marriage?"

"Yes, a bond such as that between the two Families is exactly what is needed for this alliance to work." Mori added, and, despite the amusement still present in his gaze, Fukuzawa could tell the other man is completely serious. "Both Families would have something at stake, and more reason to keep up the agreement."

"And who, exactly, would be getting married?" Fukuzawa asked, almost afraid of the answer. "It couldn't be just _anybody_."

"You are correct. Therefore, it would have to be two _very_ important people from both organizations, people who would be more than enough to… _persuade_ everyone to keep the peace." Mori said, tapping his chin in fake thought, but of course the man already knew. "Like, say, the heirs of both Families?"

Complete and utter silence reigned as Mori managed to shock Fukuzawa, Kunikida and Tanizaki with this proclamation. _That_ was not who they thought Mori would say.

"I think you broke them." Dazai finally said after the silence stretched to five minutes long. "It doesn't look like they'll be cognizant any time soon, so… I'm going outside!"

"To do what?" Oda asked, exasperation clear in his voice. He could already guess.

"Weeellll, there was this lovely tree we passed by on our way here," Dazai began, eyes sparkling, "and it looked like the perfect height to hang myself from!"

Oda rolled his eyes. _Of course._

"We're not quite finished here, Dazai." Mori said in an almost bored, though still sharp, tone. "Please remain seated."

Before Dazai could reply to that statement, Fukuzawa suddenly, and finally, spoke up.

"You want to wed the heirs of two of the biggest Mafia Families in Yokohama?" he asked, still shocked. "Just to cement a short-term alliance?"

"Well, who is to say that the alliance doesn't last longer than dealing with this enemy?" Mori questioned with a small shrug. "Like I said, my boss has been thinking about an alliance for some time."

Fukuzawa would never understand the minds from the Tsushima Family. Never.

"So, what do you say, Yukichi?" Mori asked, keen eyes watching him closely. "Do we have an agreement?"

"At this point, I would need to talk with my boss about this." Fukuzawa finally said, folding his arms in his sleeves once more. "Giving you territory or money is one thing, marrying off his daughter to the heir of a rival Family is another. So—"

"Not her." Dazai suddenly interrupted, looking lazily at Fukuzawa.

"Pardon?" Fukuzawa asked, glancing at the younger man with confusion.

"She's not the one who would be used in this arrangement." Dazai stated, arms crossed over his chest, before leaning back to look at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Though she would be quite the beauty to commit a double-suicide with…"

"Dazai…" Oda groaned out quietly, giving the brunet a look.

"Then who?" Kunikida asked this time, as confused as Fukuzawa was.

"Kouyou Ozaki Nakahara is not Kansuke Nakahara's only child, is she?" Mori asked, rhetorically, of course. "Therefore, she's not the only heir."

Fukuzawa's stomach dropped. "You mean—"

"Yes." Dazai all but purred, eyes looking almost crimson in the light as he gave Fukuzawa a searing look. "The son. _Chuuya Nakahara_ is the heir required to make this work." He rested his chin in his hand then, smirk still present as he spoke again, cutting off Fukuzawa's coming retort. "It is _him_ , or we have no deal."

 _There it was, the famed Demon Prodigy._ It sent shivers down the spines of the three Nakahara members; it was such a radical change in personality.

Any counterargument Fukuzawa could come up would not be good enough, it would not dissuade this boy from what he wanted. And it seemed what he _wanted_ was Chuuya. _This could be a problem…_

Fukuzawa sighed silently before meeting the brunet's gaze head-on. "Alright, I understand you conditions." Kunikida and Tanizaki gave Fukuzawa a startled look, which he ignored. "But, like I said earlier, I will still need to talk to Kans— Mr. Nakahara about this."

"Of course!" Dazai exclaimed, his personality shifting once again. It was enough to give anyone whiplash.

"We'll give you a week, then." Mori continued, getting Fukuzawa's attention. "If we don't hear back from you, we'll assume you are rejecting the deal and no further discussions will be had."

Fukuzawa nodded his head. "That sounds reasonable." He then pushed himself to his feet, the other two following after him, before bowing his head. "Thank you for the tea."

Mori just gave him an unsettling smirk, reminding Fukuzawa of a predator just then. "Don't take too long to think, Yukichi. This is a one-time only deal. It won't happen again."

Fukuzawa nodded his head once again in understanding before leaving the room, Kunikida and Tanizaki walking after him. They grabbed their weapons from the blonde woman, Fukuzawa taking notice of the intense, almost calculating reddish-brown gaze she gave them, before exiting the building, heading to the awaiting car that would take them back to base.

As they drove, Fukuzawa couldn't help but let his thoughts wonder. Why Chuuya? Why was Osamu Dazai so insistent that it be Chuuya as the chosen heir, rather than Kouyou? Other than the fact that Dazai might just swing that way, there was no reason to be so dead set on having Chuuya. An arranged marriage wasn't built on romance, it was purely strategical. So why would it matter who it was that Dazai married? That wasn't even the worst of it. He was dreading relaying this to Kansuke, but more so to Colette. It would not end well.

* * *

 **Character Descriptions**

\- Doppo Kunikida: scapula-length, mildly wavy, spiky dirty blond hair, worn back in a neat ponytail by a chocolate brown band, with fringe parted to the right; deep green-gray eyes; a light tan complexion; a slim, muscular body with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; sharp eyes; 6'2"; frameless rectangular glasses with chocolate brown arms; a black wristwatch—around left wrist  
Role: Consigliere/Executive of the Nakahara Family; Head of Legal Affairs of Nakahara Enterprises; Head of the Silver Wolf Guerrilla Squad  
Age: 22  
Birthday: August 30  
Nationality: Half-Japanese/Half-English  
Ability: Doppo Poet  
made objects written on the papers of his notebook come into existence, but did not work on objects larger than the notebook—such objects included wire-guns, handguns, grenades and flash-bangs; able to use pre-written notes as a means for his object summons; able to remotely activate, transforming those pre-written notes into objects, which could come in handy when supporting others from afar  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Close-Quarters Combat, Kung-Fu, Judo, Jujutsu, and Muay Thai  
expert marksman/sharpshooter: an expert all-around master marksman, highly skilled in wielding conventional firearms with virtually unerring accuracy; due to impeccable hand-eye coordination, capable of firing multiple shots in a few seconds, strike enemies's weak points with extreme accuracy and directly hit small targets in the greatest of distances; able to hurl objects with extreme speed and accuracy, both in direct aim and complicated rebounds/interactions; extremely capable of hitting multiple targets in a few quick shots and directly hitting small targets in the greatest of distances; had limitless patience; able to plan meticulously; capable of intense concentration for long periods of time under adverse conditions  
high-class lawyer, master assassin, and skilled in diplomacy, public speaking, calligraphy, espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
skilled lip reader, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Beretta 92FS INOX: a double/single-action semi-automatic pistol that employs an open-slide, short-recoil delayed locking-block system; slide, barrel and internal parts are all stainless steel, while the alloy frame is anodized to match the color and finish of the other components; black stippled-textured soft rubber grip absorbs the recoil while affording a firm and positive grip  
Main Outfit: a beige-yellow waistcoat; a black dress shirt, a red ribbon tied into a bow around the collar; beige-yellow dress pants; a black belt with a silver rectangular buckle; brown dress shoes; Beretta 92FS INOX—kept in back-waistband holster

\- Junichirou Tanizaki: medium-long, spiky ginger orange hair, parted in the middle, with spikes sweeping downward, M-parted fringe, and a light gray barrette clipped on the left; hazel eyes; a fair complexion; a slim, wiry body with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; 5'8½"; light gray metal earrings  
Role: Giovane d'onore of the Nakahara Family; Kansuke's Personal Assistant in Nakahara Enterprises; Second-in-Command of the Silver Wolf Guerrilla Squad; High School Student at Yokohama Private Academy (3rd Year/12th Grade)  
Age: 18  
Birthday: July 24  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: Light Snow  
allowed him to transpose the entire space into a digital realm, covering the affected area with "snowfall"; projected illusions in a certain range of area around him; able to superimpose the imagery onto himself and others, making them impossible to locate  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Close-Quarters Combat  
effective marksman: an effective marksman, highly skilled in wielding conventional firearms with virtually unerring accuracy; able to hurl objects with extreme speed and accuracy, both in direct aim and complicated rebounds/interactions  
skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
skilled thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Smith & Wesson M&P: a full-size service pistol; a short recoil-operated, locked breech, striker-fire semi-automatic pistol; an extended, rigid embedded, stainless-steel chassis; a low barrel bore axis; a fine-tuned, crisp trigger with lighter pull; a tactile, audible trigger reset; an aggressively-textured grip with an optimal 18-degree grip angle; a high-strength polymer frame with a matte black armornite durable corrosion resistant finish; a white-dot front sight; a white-two dot rear sight  
Main Outfit: an off-white V-neckline, oversized sweater with a black stripe lining the collar; a black tank top; light blue denim jeans; a black belt with a silver rectangular buckle; brown laced shoes; a red hoodie—wrapped around the waist; Smith & Wesson M&P—kept in back-waistband holster

\- Ougai Mori: shoulder-length, straight raven black hair with twin chin-length side-locks and a few strands left loose over forehead; bright magenta pink eyes with a strange pattern on the pupils; a fair complexion; a lean, wiry body with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; 5'7"  
Role: Underboss/Second-in-Command of the Tsushima Family; CEO/Head Surgeon of Yokohama Medical Hospital; Surgeon/Doctor  
Age: 40  
Birthday: February 17  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: Vita Sexualis  
able to "configure" Elise in any way he willed—he could make her levitate, chase after an enemy at high speed, and make her save him no matter what; could summon Elise at will and make her attack his enemies with a barrage of large medical equipment; destroying Elise did not permanently kill her, and she could be re-summoned  
Elise: female; ~12-years-old; waist-length, curly golden blonde hair with straight-cut bangs and a red bow at the crown of the head; sky blue eyes; a fair complexion; a petite, slender body with a banana-figure, petite bust, and flat stomach; 4'8"; a red long-sleeved dress with a white collar, white frills and a pink bow around the collar; black/dark gray-striped stockings; black Mary-Jane flats  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Kenjutsu, Ninjutsu, and Close-Quarters Combat  
expert marksman: a very accurate marksman skilled in sharpshooting; accuracy was virtually unerring; able to hurl objects with extreme speed and accuracy, both in direct aim and complicated rebounds/interactions  
genius intellect: an expert in game theory and war tactics  
highly-qualified and expertly-skilled doctor, surgeon and pharmacologist  
master tactician: a masterful strategist; able to formulate battle strategies and brilliant tactical sense allowed to alter any strategy to fit the changing needs of the situation  
possessed an instinctive ability to "read" behavioral characteristics and manipulate people  
skilled in psychological warfare: art of manipulating the mind to get the desired reaction from the victim  
master assassin and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
skilled lie detector, lip reader, cryptographer, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Scalpels: a stainless steel knife with a small, sharp blade  
Glock 19: a mid-size service pistol, shooting the 9x19mm pistol cartridge; a short-recoil operated, striker-fire semi-automatic pistol; a high-strength polymer frame; a milled steel slide and barrel with a matte black Tenifer finish; a safe-action trigger system; an integral accessory rail; a white-dot front sight; a white-bracket rear sight dovetailed into the slide and drift adjustable; slide cycles on 4 hardened steel guide rails within the frame; two standard 15-round magazines, or two 10-round magazines  
Main Outfit: a black trench coat with a large, upturned collar that had to snaps on it—left open; a black suit jacket; a white dress shirt; a grape purple tie; black suit pants; a dark brown belt with a silver buckle; dark brown leather, knee-high, low-heeled boots—worn with pants tucked in; a long blood red scarf; white leather gloves; Glock 19—kept in back-waistband holster; hair's worn swept back into a low ponytail by a tan band

\- Sakunosuke Oda "OdaSaku": medium-longish, straight, messy dark cherry brunet hair with choppy fringe parted in the center; sapphire blue eyes; a light tan complexion; a lean, muscular body with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; a light amount of stubble on chin; 6'1"; a black leather wrist-cuff—worn around right wrist  
Role: Consigliere/Executive of the Tsushima Family; Head of Legal Affairs of Tsushima Corporations; Head of the Black Lizard Guerrilla Squad  
Age: 27  
Birthday: October 26  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: Flawless  
the ability to predict 5-6 seconds into the future; an extremely powerful Ability that rendered most surprise attacks useless, as he could see them coming 5 seconds before; the future that he saw was also limited to his current decision—if he decided to change his actions based on the vision he saw, then he'd see another future play out, one that might reveal another danger that he wasn't able to see before, and it might be too late to avoid it at that point  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Close-Quarters Combat, Wing Chun, Kung-Fu, Karate, Judo, Jujutsu, and Muay Thai  
expert marksman/sharpshooter: an expert all-around master marksman, highly skilled in wielding conventional firearms with virtually unerring accuracy; due to superior eyesight and impeccable hand-eye coordination, capable of firing multiple shots in a few seconds, strike enemies's weak points with extreme accuracy and directly hit small targets in the greatest of distances; able to hurl objects with extreme speed and accuracy, both in direct aim and complicated rebounds/interactions; extremely capable of hitting multiple targets in a few quick shots and directly hitting small targets in the greatest of distances, never missing; had limitless patience; able to plan meticulously; capable of intense concentration for long periods of time under adverse conditions  
high-class lawyer, master assassin, and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
skilled lie detector, lip reader, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
twin Glock 19: a mid-size service pistol, shooting the 9x19mm pistol cartridge; a short-recoil operated, striker-fire semi-automatic pistol; a high-strength polymer frame; a milled steel slide and barrel with a matte black Tenifer finish; a safe-action trigger system; an integral accessory rail; a white-dot front sight; a white-bracket rear sight dovetailed into the slide and drift adjustable; slide cycles on 4 hardened steel guide rails within the frame; two standard 15-round magazines, or two 10-round magazines  
Main Outfit: a beige-yellow blazer coat with brown buttons on the cuffs—left open; a taupe brown dress shirt—worn loosely and top few buttons left undone; dark green dress pants; a brown belt with a gold rectangular buckle; brown oxfords; a black shoulder harness—worn underneath coat with twin Glock 19 kept holstered

\- Osamu Dazai Tsushima: medium-longish, mildly wavy dark chocolate brunet hair with fringe gathered at the center of forehead and twin jaw-length side-locks; burgundy brown eyes; a light tan complexion; a lanky, lean, wiry body with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; handsome features; narrow eyes; an aristocratic nose; sharp cheekbones; a strong, angular jawline; entire body covered in multiple scars, from a variety of origins; 5'11"; entire body wrapped in white bandages, only leaving head, hands and feet uncovered  
Role: Consigliere/Executive/Head Strategist of the Tsushima Family; Heir Apparent of the Tsushima Family; Executive Vice-President of Tsushima Corporations  
Age: 22  
Birthday: June 19  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: No Longer Human  
allowed him to nullify others' Abilities on contact; relied on skin contact; always active, and as such, he could nullify any Ability, even while restrained, as soon as it touched him  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Close-Quarters Combat  
effective marksman: an effective marksman, highly skilled in wielding conventional firearms with virtually unerring accuracy; able to hurl objects with extreme speed and accuracy, both in direct aim and complicated rebounds/interactions  
genius-level intellect: a certified genius; ruthlessly intelligent and methodical with a sharp wit, displaying both keen observation and analysis skills; able to formulate strategies that took advantage of the situation and everyone's capabilities  
master tactician: a masterful strategist due to genius intellect; able to formulate battle strategies and brilliant tactical sense allowed to alter any strategy to fit the changing needs of the situation; mind whirled at an inhuman speed, strategies planned and set out leagues ahead before anyone else could even begin to think  
master interrogator: a master in questioning others with the goal of eliciting useful information; may involve a diverse array of techniques, ranging from developing a rapport with the subject to outright torture; a specialist at torturing people for information  
possessed an instinctive ability to "read" behavioral characteristics and manipulate people; specialized in reading and manipulating others with mere words  
skilled in psychological warfare: art of manipulating the mind to get the desired reaction from the victim  
master assassin, expert computer hacker, and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
skilled lie detector, lip reader, cryptographer, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Glock 22: a full-size service pistol, shooting the .40 S&W pistol cartridge; a Gen4, dual-recoil operated, semi-automatic pistol; a high-strength polymer frame; a rough grip texturing; a modular back strap; a reversible magazine catch; a steel slide with a matte black Tenifer finish; a dual recoil spring assembly; a safe-action trigger system; an integral accessory rail; a white-dot front sight; a white-bracket rear sight dovetailed into the slide and drift adjustable; slide cycles on 4 hardened steel guide rails within the frame; three standard 15-round magazines or three 10-round magazines  
Main Outfit: a sand-colored trench coat with a plum brown inner-lining, the belt left untied—left open and sleeves worn rolled up slightly; a chocolate brown waistcoat; a pale blue dress shirt—sleeves worn rolled up slightly; a brown bolo tie held together by an azure blue jade pendant; beige khaki dress pants; a black belt with a silver rectangular buckle; dark brown dress shoes; Glock 22—kept in back-waistband holster

* * *

Next chapter's up! Now things are starting to happen. Also, Mori's words in the middle of the chapter I borrowed from the Anime - Episode 21, Double Black. I honestly couldn't think of any better way to say it then he did in that one. Side note, amazing episode!

I'd like to say that, yes, I'm aware that I'm basically repeating a lot of the same information but it is on purpose - given the fact that things are getting set up and explanations have to be given. I also feel like Mori and Fukuzawa's relationship would be a lot like Dazai and Chuuya's - just something that makes sense to me. They're also close enough to each other that they call one another by their first names (I did that on purpose). And yeah, I know the introduction of Kunikida and Tanizaki might seem a little rushed, but I just needed to get them introduced and part of the story, and this seemed the best way to do so. Also, Oda is going to be alive in the fic, if it wasn't already obvious. He acts sort-of like Dazai's older brother/handler/babysitter. He will be important later on as well. Up next, we meet the other main character! Here comes our petit mafia!

Oh, and one more thing I forgot to add in the first note - the characters who are 18 and under will still be in school, attending Yokohama Private Academy (a prestigious, private educational institute within the city that caters from kindergarten to high school), and most are either Junior High or High School students (and yes, I'm going by the grades from a Japanese perspective, obviously, but I hope I get it right since I got the info from the internet, being an American and all).


	3. Prologue, Pt 3

_A Few Days Later…_

"Tch," a petite orange-haired figure scoffed, cracking the knuckles of his black-gloved hands. "You lot weren't good enough to even be considered a warm-up. Pathetic."

"Mr. Chuuya!" a loud voice called from somewhere behind him. "Mr. Chuuya, are you alright?"

Chuuya Nakahara hid a small smile at the concern in the younger man's voice. It was always nice to be cared about, even if it was unnecessary for someone as strong as he was. "I'm fine, Atsushi. How 'bout you? Deal with the leftovers already?"

Atsushi Nakajima finished bounding his way, the features of his tiger-half melting away to leave his normal face, sunset eyes glancing over Chuuya just to confirm that, _yes_ , Chuuya was actually alright. "Yeah, they're all down."

Chuuya clicked his tongue, resetting his black fedora properly on his head. "At least they had the decency to attack us after we finished dinner."

"Your parents aren't going to be happy we left base just to get food." Atsushi nervously said, following after Chuuya as they continued their way back.

"If I had to eat the same meal _one_ more time in the same week, I was going to lose it." Chuuya muttered, crossing his arms.

 _If you had just let me help, the fight would have been over in mere seconds._

Chuuya rolled his eyes. "Yes, but half the city would have been leveled. And I can't control that power yet, remember?"

The last, and only, time he was forced to use the God's power… he honestly didn't remember much of it, only that he ended up destroying half of the warehouse district in the process. He was ten-years-old at the time. The way he looked and the way he was acting, his parents had said they hardly recognized him—it was like he was… _corrupted_ by all the raw power flowing through him. It was why they had started referring to that aspect of his Ability as _Corruption_. It also left him in really bad shape when it stopped, having to be hospitalized for almost a month; that was when his mother forbid him to ever use it again. The worst part of it, however, was that they didn't know _how_ he stopped, just that he was lost in the dust and rubble of destroyed warehouses one moment, and then the next, they found his body crumpled on the ground, unconscious. One thing they were sure of, though, was that it wasn't Chuuya who stopped it—Arahabaki confirmed that much, and even the God didn't know how his power was cut off, just that it happened quickly and for a few moments, it was like he couldn't _hear_ Chuuya. It's something that haunts Chuuya to this day, how he was stopped—essentially saved from his own out-of-control power.

 _I could have leant you a small fraction of it._

Chuuya sighed. "No, that's not possible either. We've tried, remember? And _Maman_ nearly killed me when I did."

Atsushi looked over at him, confused for a second, before realization took over. "Arahabaki?"

The redhead cracked his neck before nodding. "He doesn't like being left out of a fight."

The God sealed inside of him scoffed but remained quiet.

"Byakko helped me out a little," Atsushi added after they'd walked a little ways in quiet, "but I mostly beat them on my own this time."

Chuuya smiled at the teen before ruffling his hair some. "That's good to hear, Atsushi. I'm glad those lessons have been helping."

The silver-haired boy hummed in response, looking up at the person he considered his mentor. "Do you want to spar some later?"

"Sounds good." Chuuya agreed, rolling his shoulders. "Those weaklings from before were barely a challenge."

They both glanced up as the large skyscraper—that served as both the headquarters for Nakahara Enterprises and living quarters to most of the higher-ups of the Nakahara Family—came into view. The building itself was seventy-five floors and composed of stacked boxes with a podium at the base, a "tail form" central section and a stepped top, as well as floor-to-ceiling glazing that offered stunning views of the city.

To Chuuya, it was home.

The two breezed into the building, heading to the elevators, when they were stopped by an almost-frantic raven-haired girl. "Mr. Chuuya! There you are! Where have you been?! Why didn't you answer your phone?!"

"Whoa, Naomi, take a breath." Chuuya said, settling his hands on the teen's shoulders, ignoring the fact that he had to reach _up_ slightly to do so. "I left my phone in my room on accident. What's going on?"

Naomi Tanizaki, younger sister of fellow member Junichirou, took a deep breath in before letting it out, calming herself down. "Your parents really need to talk with you." She chewed on her bottom lip for a second. "And by the way Mrs. Colette was muttering under her breath in rapid French, it's something really important. She didn't look very happy either."

Chuuya's eyebrows went up in surprise, and interest. Both his parents have been acting really secretive for the past week and a half, holding meetings with Fukuzawa behind closed doors and sending certain members on "important missions", though were kept secret. Even from him.

Naomi's brother was one of those said members sent out on a secret assignment, but not even the raven-haired teen could get her brother to tell her where he had been, and why he had returned back to base with Mr. Fukuzawa and Mr. Kunikida, looking like he had seen a ghost.

"Alright, we'll head up right away then." Chuuya answered the teen, bringing her attention back. "Thanks, Naomi. Why don't head home for the night?"

"Are you sure?" she asked, though was already slowly making her way to the doors.

"Go. I'm sure Junichirou is waiting for you." The redhead said, giving her a small smile.

"Of course my big brother is waiting for me! He's the best." Naomi cheered before giving the petite man a bow. "Goodnight Mr. Chuuya, Atsushi."

"Goodnight!" Atsushi called back while Chuuya waved to her.

"Now, let's go see what my parents want." Chuuya said as he and the weretiger got into the elevator, hitting the button for the 75th floor, where his father's office was located.

A few moments later, he was knocking on his father's office doors, pushing them open a few seconds after when he heard his father's voice calling out. Both his parents were in there, like he expected, but Fukuzawa being inside the room as well threw him off slightly. He didn't think the older man would still be here, he's usually heading home by now (he's one of the few high-ups who doesn't live in the high-rise building).

"Naomi said you were looking for me?" Chuuya questioned as he took his hat off his head, pressing it against his chest and bowing in greeting—he is nothing if not respectful.

 _"Où diable avez-vous été?! J'ai été inquiet malade! Pourquoi n'avez-vous pas répondu à votre téléphone?_ _"_ his mother shouted at him in rapid-fire French, placing her hands on his shoulders and looking him over. _"Pourquoi avez-vous l'air si écoeuré?"_

 _"Maman, s'il te plaît, calme-toi. Je vais bien. Atsushi et moi-même sommes allés dans la rue pour dîner, mais nous avons eu des problèmes en revenant. Rien que nous ne pouvions pas gérer._ _"_ Chuuya responded in French as well, taking his mother's hands in his. _"Et j'ai oublié d'apporter mon téléphone avec moi. Je m'excuse de t'inquiéter."_

Colette gave her son another look-over before sighing out and relaxing some. "Apologies, Chuuya. We've just been a bit high-strung as of late."

"I understand, _Maman_." Chuuya said with a smile before looking over to his father, giving him a nod. "Good evening, Father."

"Chuuya." Kansuke responded, nodding to him too before over at the silver-haired teen. "Atsushi."

"Oh, Atsushi!" Colette exclaimed, letting Chuuya go to head over to the weretiger, now gripping his shoulders. "I'm glad you're okay too, _petit_ _tigre_."

Atsushi blushed, though smiled too. "Thank you, Mrs. Colette."

"So, what's going on?" Chuuya asked, looking at the three other adults in the room. "Is everything okay? And what is Mr. Fukuzawa still doing here?"

The temperature in the room dropped suddenly, the faces of Kansuke, Colette and Fukuzawa hardening almost instantly. Chuuya felt the hairs at the nape of his neck stand and Atsushi inched closer to the petite redhead instinctively (and if he had been in tiger form, all his fur would be standing on-end, not that his _hair_ already wasn't).

"What?" he asked again, hackles raising. "What is it? Were we attacked again? Did someone get hurt? Is someone dead?" The silence was starting to really freak him out, as was the air of somber seriousness surrounding the other three. " _Maman_ , Father?"

Kansuke and Colette exchanged looks before Colette took Chuuya by the arm and led him over to the sitting area, both sitting down on a sofa as the others in the room did the same.

"We've… uncovered some new information regarding those attacks within the last week." Kansuke said slowly, almost… nervous. But that can't be right, Chuuya has never seen his father _nervous_ before. Cautious, yes, but never nervous.

"That's good, right?" Atsushi, bless him, asked, looking around at all the adults. "I thought we were trying to figure that out."

"Things have become more… complicated now." Fukuzawa said, laying a hand on his adoptive son's shoulder. "We did not account for _any_ of this."

"Colette?" Kansuke said after the silence stretched a little too long, both of the younger men perplexed at the reactions of the other three. "Would you mind explaining what's happening? You have the best grasp on it, after all."

Colette nodded, her light copper curls bouncing around her face at the movement.

 _"Maman_ _?"_ Chuuya asked, looking over at his mother in question.

 _"Mon fils_ _,"_ Colette murmured, running a finger over his cheek. _"Mon beau garçon. Je suis vraiment désolé._ _"_ She sighed and dropped her hand into her lap. "This is all my fault."

"Colette." Kansuke muttered his disagreement, but the redheaded woman raised a hand to silence him.

The next hour was spent filling in the two younger men on everything they have learned thus far, both Chuuya and Atsushi growing more and more shocked by the minute; not to mention the Gods they host becoming more and more riled up. It wasn't until she started explaining what Ranpo wanted them to do that Chuuya finally spoke up.

"Is Ranpo out of his goddamn _mind?!"_ Chuuya shouted, azure eyes wide with surprise. "Ask the _Tsushima Family_ for help?" He took off his hat, placing it carefully to the side, before running his fingers through his curls. "Why would he think _that_ was our only viable option? It would never work! We—"

"It did." Kansuke cut off, seeing that Chuuya was just going to keep on rambling, and they needed to get to the point… before they lost their nerve.

Chuuya's words died in his throat, giving his father a wide-eyed look of astonishment. "It _what?"_

"It worked." Kansuke repeated, crossing his arms over his chest. "Fukuzawa and two others met with representatives from the Tsushima Family a few days ago to explain our situation and ask for their… assistance."

"And they _agreed?"_ Chuuya asked incredulously, eyebrows raised.

"To an extent." Fukuzawa answered, getting the petite man's attention.

Chuuya's eyebrows furrowed then at that answer, before something occurred to him, something he learned when he was younger. "Those guys don't do stuff unless there's something in it for them." He looked between the three other adults once again. "What was it?"

Silence answered him.

Kansuke, Colette and Fukuzawa looked at each other once more, a little wary and way more than a little reluctant. They still didn't like this option—and _that_ was a huge understatement if there ever was one; several walls and a few floors had to be repaired after the news was explained to Colette—but it was their _only_ option. Even Ranpo couldn't find any fault in the proposition. It was an equal exchange—both parties got what they wanted, but as to why the Tsushima Family heir wanted Chuuya of all people remained a mystery. Not even the raven-haired genius could figure out the reason for that. He, at least, didn't think it was because they figured out Chuuya was a vessel and wanted that power under their control.

Not that _that_ could ever actually happen; controlling Chuuya never ended well for anyone. Both him _and_ his mother. They were stubborn, indomitable people with a free spirit that not just anyone could lock down.

Chuuya looked over at Atsushi, who looked just as lost as he was.

 _Something is going on here_ , Arahabaki muttered inside Chuuya's head. _I have never seen Colette this… anxious before._

"Would someone _please_ tell me what's going on here?!" the petite redhead finally snapped, sick of the stalling and stifling silence. "You guys are freaking me out."

"You asked what the Tsushima Family wanted in exchange for helping us." Kansuke said quietly, looking at his son with… was that sadness? No, it looked more like a mix between pity and… was that fear?

"Yes…" Chuuya said slowly, feeling his entire body almost vibrating with anxiety.

"According to what they told Fukuzawa, the Tsushima's had already been considering an alliance with us." Kansuke explained, nodding at his son's surprised expression. "Yes, I was thrown by that news as well. I know we aren't on wholly terrible terms with that Family now, but considering an alliance? It was a little out there, I have to agree." He swiped a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face. "But lucky, I suppose, since they were more open to us asking now then they would've been in the past."

"Okay?" Chuuya said, still very puzzled. _Was there a point somewhere?_

"But they made a very good point," Fukuzawa now continued, gaining Chuuya's attention. "Making an alliance is simple, _keeping_ the alliance is not."

"Keeping it?" the hat-lover asked, still lost. _Why won't they just come out and say what it is?_

"There's nothing to keep either side from betraying the other, nothing to keep everyone in line and committed to the alliance." Kansuke picked up the explanation. "So, the Tsushima's proposed a… solution to this problem."

As soon as Chuuya was about to snap at his father to _get to the goddamn point_ , the air in the room suddenly felt… heavy, almost like gravity was pushing down on them. A glance around saw that he wasn't the only one feeling it, the other men in the room looked like they were struggling to stay upright. Thanks to _For the Tainted Sorrow_ , he didn't have that problem, his Ability now counteracting the heaviness in the room, before he looked over to the only other person that _could_ be doing this.

 _"Mère, qu'est-ce qui ne va pas?_ _"_ Chuuya asked, concerned, as he placed a hand on her arm. _"Maman?"_

That seemed to snap the redheaded woman out of it, glancing around in surprise before deactivating her own Ability, everyone else breathing a sigh of relief. "I apologize. I didn't mean to do that."

"I'm not that surprised that you did, though." Kansuke murmured to his wife, grabbing hold of her hand soothingly.

"What?" Chuuya asked, looking between the two in confusion before giving into the other dominant emotion rolling around inside him—pissed-off impatience. "And, for the love of Gods, can you _please_ just tell me what the damn Tsushima Family wants!"

He definitely inherited his mother's temper and sharp tongue.

"They proposed a union." Fukuzawa stated, voice devoid of any emotion.

"Union?" Chuuya asked, confusion taking over once again. "What kind of union?"

"A marriage, Chuuya." Colette all but spat out. "An arranged marriage that will tie the two Families together in a way that will inspire the alliance to work."

"A _marriage_ _?"_ Chuuya asked, baffled. "How would _that_ do anything?"

"Not just any marriage." Kansuke said, sighing. "A marriage between the _heirs_ of the Families."

 _That_ finally shocked Chuuya into silence, eyes wide and mouth opening and closing like a fish. He did _not_ just say what he thinks he said. Not possible. A marriage like that, between two rival factions, didn't seem feasible. Even less so when it would be between members of the _actual_ families.

"So, who would be getting married then?" Atsushi asked, head tilted in question and worried eyes darting around at everyone in the room.

"Well," Kansuke said, smoothing down his shirt, "the Tsushima Family only has one son, so it would be between him and—"

"Kouyou is never going to agree to this." Chuuya interrupted, looking up at his father with hard eyes. "Have you even talked to her about it?" Not only was Kouyou not big on marriage to begin with, she also really didn't swing _that_ way. Not anymore.

That look from before was back, the one that was a mix between pity and fear. Though now, there was some resignation… and sadness.

"Chuuya," Colette said softly, laying a hand on his still-hatless head, "it isn't Kouyou."

Chuuya blinked once. Twice. "What do you mean?"

"Kouyou isn't the one going to be… married off." Colette said, her voice still soft, fingers now running through her son's hair. "She isn't the one they want."

"If it isn't Ane- _san_ , then…" Chuuya mumbled before trailing off; not even a second later did his eyes fly open to stare at his parents, slowly coming to a conclusion he didn't want to reach. He pointed to himself. "Me?"

Both his parents, and Fukuzawa as well, nodded. His mother's reaction just a bit ago didn't seem that over the top anymore.

"Why do they want—" but the redhead was cut off.

"We don't know, _mon cher._ " Colette answered, fingers still carding through his hair. "Only that it was nonnegotiable." At Chuuya's confused look, she added, "It _had_ to be you."

"The Tsushima Family's heir, Osamu Dazai, made it very clear," Fukuzawa said, getting Chuuya's attention, "if the heir he is to marry _isn't_ you, the whole deal is off."

"Which means, no alliance?" Chuuya asked, somewhat subdued.

The silver-haired swordsman nodded. "Yes, and, unfortunately, allying with them is the only way we can defeat Kannushi for good." He tapped his fingers along his katana's hilt. "Ranpo could find no other way." He looked down at the floor then. "I'm sorry, Chuuya."

"You have no idea how hard this is to ask of you, Chuuya." Kansuke said next, looking at his son sadly. "We tried everything we could think of to get them to change their minds, offered them anything else in exchange, but the heir refused to budge." He scrubbed a hand over his face, frustrated. "For whatever reason, he is dead-set on _you_ , and only you."

"But _why?!"_ Chuuya groaned out, in both confusion and anger, as he stood up suddenly and started to pace back and forth. "I've never even _met_ this guy, why is he so insistent that _I'm_ the one he marries?" His hands clench by his sides and his form begins to glow a crimson red, an indication that his Ability was active. "It makes no sense!" The air around him started growing heavier, not that he noticed. "Why _me_ _?_ Why a marriage?! There has to be a million other things that would be more beneficial to them! That would make more sense!"

Like his mother previously did, he lost control over his Ability, affecting the area around him and slowly pushing the others to the floor. And like he had done previously, Colette altered her own gravity to counteract her son's while she tried to calm him down. It wasn't only the people in the room the gravity was weighing down, though, it was also the objects, and even the floors were creaking ominously under the pressure. She wouldn't be surprised if everyone on the floor felt the effects. She needed to calm him down before he brought down the entire area.

"Chuuya?" Colette spoke, shaking his shoulder, softly at first then more insistently when the gravity continued to increase. "Chuuya, dear? Chuuya!" Still nothing. She had no choice. Standing up, she looked at her son, silently apologizing, before concentrating her own gravity in her fist… and driving it straight into Chuuya's solar plexus, sending him flying to the other side of the room, but also switching off his Ability.

The other three in the room took in a deep breath of relief when they could breathe and move again before Atsushi gasped and stood up, rushing to the dent in the opposite wall, which Chuuya was pulling himself out of. "Mr. Chuuya! Are you okay?"

The redhead shook his head to dislodge the drywall dust that clung there before answering. "Yeah, I'm good." He looked over at his parents and Fukuzawa. "Sorry about that." His eyes flickered to his mother. "Thanks for knocking me out of it, _Maman_."

"Sorry _I_ had to hit you so hard." Colette said as she headed over to him too, handing him his hat and brushing off his clothes, before looking at the crater he left. "I really didn't mean to destroy the wall. I underestimated the amount of power I put in that punch."

He smiled at his mother. "It was the only thing you could do. It's fine, really."

His mother said nothing, just continued to dust him off.

His eyes then flickered down to the ground for a minute in thought before over to his father and Fukuzawa. "This whole marriage thing… it really _is_ our only option?" The two men nodded, sympathy painting their features once more. "We'll get an alliance with the Tsushima Family, and, with their help, we'll put a stop to this… Kannushi's attacks. The bloodshed will stop, our people will stop dying almost every other day, and innocent people won't get caught in the crossfire." He gripped his hat, still in his hand, tighter. " _Maman_ and you and Ane- _san_ won't be in danger anymore, and," he looked over at the silver-haired teen, eyes softening, "Atsushi won't be put in danger if they figure out _he's_ a vessel as well." Kansuke nodded, seeing that his son was working up to something; he gets that from him, needing to say things aloud to organize his thoughts. "And for all of that to happen, all I have to do is… get _married_." His face twisted at the last word.

"That is correct, Chuuya." Kansuke said softly with another nod.

Then there wasn't anything to really think about, was there? If he does _one_ simple thing, everyone he cares about will be safe.

"Alright." Chuuya finally said, so quietly that everyone in the room almost missed it.

"What was that, _mon cher_ _?"_ Colette asked, looking at him gently.

He took in a deep breath before blowing it all out. "I said _alright_." He looked over at his father. "I'll… I'll get married. To— to the Tsushima Family heir. If that's what it'll take, I will do it."

"Are you sure?" Kansuke asked, though he shouldn't have bothered because once Chuuya decided on something, there is no changing his mind.

"I'm sure, Father. If all the Tsushima Family wants is _me_ to cement this alliance that will put a stop to all this death, then I will do it." He straightened himself up to his full, admittedly short, height, his azure eyes hardening with resolve. "It is my responsibility as a Nakahara to do at least that much. For the sake of everyone."

* * *

Chuuya honestly wasn't sure how he ended up in front of one of Kouyou's Courtesan houses—her main one, that also served as her place of residence; he barely remembered saying goodnight to his parents and Fukuzawa, leaving Atsushi at the elevator with hardly a word, and exiting the building. He wandered around for a couple of hours, still caught up in his thoughts—his mind like a roiling pot, never staying on one thing for too long. The next thing he knew, he was looking up and found himself at his sister's place.

"Mr. Chuuya!" the young woman manning the front desk called out in greeting as he walked inside, hanging both his trench coat and hat on the hook by the door. "What brings you here?"

Chuuya bowed his head in greeting, before asking, "Is Kouyou around?"

"Chuuya?" a familiar voice asked, a confused yet tender smile on her face.

Chuuya turned around slightly, his older half-sister standing in all her kimono-clad glory in the doorway of her personal office. She was quite the figure, too. Beauty, grace and an impeccable etiquette with an underlining hint of steel, a vixen with perfectly manicured claws as drenched in blood as the rest of them… that was Kouyou Ozaki Nakahara.

He greeted her with a head nod and subdued smile. "Ane- _san_."

The redheaded woman's elegant brows furrowed as she walked closer to her brother, getting a better look at Chuuya's face. _He looks like he's seen a ghost. I don't think I've ever seen him this pale and… shaken before._

"Why don't we have some tea?" she finally said, gathering her brother underneath one arm gently while she spoke over her shoulder, "Would you send some tea to my office?"

"Of course, miss," the front desk receptionist replied, picking up the phone to her right.

She led Chuuya into her private office, directing him to sit at one of the cushions in front of her low-lying tea table, before walking over to her desk to finish with the paperwork she had left on it. Trying to talk to Chuuya at the moment wouldn't amount to anything—it looked like he needed more time to process whatever was happening with him. Some minutes went by in relative silence, only the scratching of Kouyou's pen being heard, before a knock on the door grabbed the two occupant's attention.

"Miss Kouyou?" a soft voice was heard on the other side.

"Come in, Kyouka." Kouyou answered, placing her finished paperwork to one side.

The young girl, also clad in a kimono, slid open the door before walking inside, carrying a tea tray with her. Kyouka Izumi, Kouyou's younger cousin as well as her ward after her parents' death, placed the tea on the table in front of Chuuya, who seemed to startle at the sound, before turning to face Kouyou.

"Thank you, dear." Kouyou said, coming from behind her desk and laying a hand on the girl's bluish-black hair lightly.

Kyouka smiled slightly at the older woman, nodding in response.

"Would you mind telling the others I'm not to be disturbed for the next few hours?" Kouyou asked, glancing down at her brother again; he'd hardly moved at all.

Kyouka followed her line of sight, looking at how uncharacteristically quiet the petite orange-haired man was being, and nodded once more. "Of course." With another bow, she left the room as silent as she came in, closing the door behind her.

Kouyou took her seat across from Chuuya and busied herself with making the tea, trying not to let her worry show as Chuuya still said nothing. After pouring the both of them a cup, she took in a deep breath before speaking.

"Chuuya?" she asked kindly, slowly, getting her brother's attention. "What seems to be bothering you? I don't think I've ever seen you quite like this before."

Chuuya let out a breath before picking up his tea cup and blowing lightly on it; once it was cool enough, he took a sip—chamomile, of course. He stared at the liquid like it held all the answers to the universe before finally looking up at his sister. "Ane- _san_ , I… I don't even…" he trailed off, biting his bottom lip as he looked to the side. _Where to start?_

Kouyou was now officially concerned. She reached across the table and placed a hand on top of the one not holding the cup; it was shaking some. "Has something happened?"

"You could say that." Chuuya murmured quietly before heaving out a sigh and placing his cup back on the table. He didn't even know where to _start_ , his thoughts an absolute mess inside his head.

"Whenever you're ready, Chuuya." Kouyou said soothingly to him, squeezing his hand. "There's no rush."

"They've figured out who is behind the attacks." Chuuya said, deciding to start with that; according to his parents, they haven't filled Kouyou in yet on anything, wanting to speak with him first.

Kouyou's eyebrows rose at that. "They have?" She nodded some. "That's good news, I suppose." But not what Chuuya really wants to tell her.

Chuuya, staring at the table now, recited what his mother had told him (and Atsushi) earlier, knowing Kouyou actually needed to know this information… and stalling on the real reason he'd ended up at her place. Between sips of tea and avoiding eye contact, he continued speaking until he reached the part about Ranpo's "plan"; she reacted just as he did, though less… explosive.

"The _Tsushima_ Family?" Kouyou asked, disbelief painting her carefully made-up face. "Ranpo truly believes _that's_ our only option?"

Chuuya nodded. "That's what Father and Mr. Fukuzawa told me."

"We've never had a reason to distrust any of Ranpo's assessments, but that one seems a bit… outlandish." Kouyou remarked, her perfectly manicured magenta nails tapping along her tea cup. "What did Father say?"

"He agreed with Ranpo," Chuuya sighed, "and had Mr. Fukuzawa set up a meeting." When Kouyou gave no reply, he went on. "Mr. Fukuzawa and two others were sent to meet with some representatives from the Tsushima Family and a… compromise was reached."

"A _compromise_ _?"_ Kouyou asked slowly. "With our greatest rivals?"

The petite redhead nodded.

"Just what was asked for?" The redheaded woman looked at her brother once more. "What compromise was reached?"

"An alliance." Chuuya answered. "Father had Mr. Fukuzawa ask for an alliance with the Tsushima's, for their help in taking out our enemy."

"And what did the Tsushima's want in return?" she asked, knowing as well as Chuuya did that the Tsushima's didn't do anything for free. "For their help, what did they ask for?"

When Kouyou didn't hear anything from Chuuya for a good two minutes, she looked at her brother again and… her scarlet red eyes widened. He was floating a good two feet in the air, the cushion glowing a crimson just as his body was. He lost control over his Ability. Kouyou's never seen him lose control before; he probably had the best control over his Ability out of anyone in their Family. He _had_ to, given the power he houses in addition to his already-impressive Ability.

"Chuuya?" Nothing. "Chuuya!" Still nothing, and now the room seemed to almost vibrate. _"Chuuya!"_ she finally shouted and threw a paperweight from her desk at him, trying to get his attention.

It worked. The paperweight hit him in the gut and, still sore and bruised from when his mother gravity-punched him earlier, it snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts. He deactivated his Ability and fell back to the ground with a silent _thwump_.

Kouyou stood up from her seat and walked around the table before kneeling down in front of her clearly-distraught brother. "Chuuya?" She placed a hand on his shoulder and it was then that he collapsed, like a puppet with its strings cut, falling into her lap as tears finally fell; the entirety of the situation he's now found himself in hitting him like a freight train.

Kouyou let him cry, making shushing noises and running her fingers through his curls. She held him as he let everything out, even though she didn't know what was going on yet; she knew he needed this. Whatever it was, it was major—Chuuya rarely, if ever, loses it like this. About ten minutes went by like this, the younger redhead's sobs and the older's soothing words the only sounds in the room.

Once the sobs quieted down into just sniffles, Chuuya lifted his face out of the folds of his sister's kimono and took a deep breath to try and compose himself. Kouyou reached up her hand and wiped the tears from Chuuya's face with her sleeve, the petite man leaning into the soft touch for a few more moments.

"Better?" Kouyou finally asked with a sympathetic smile, tucking a strand of orange hair behind his ear.

He nodded, wiping his nose as discreetly as he could. "Yeah, I am. Thanks, Ane- _san_." He looked up at her face with a small smile, barely a quirk of his lips, before down at her clothing. "I'm sorry about your kimono."

The graceful woman waved it off. "Do not worry about it." She watched him take a few more deep breaths before she asked, "Are you ready to talk about it now?"

His body stiffened right back up but he nodded regardless. "I am, I think."

She smoothed a hand through his hair again, waiting for him to speak.

"You asked what the Tsushima's wanted in exchange for their help." He finally said, staring down at his fingers.

"I did," she replied to him, waiting patiently.

"What they wanted, really, was a way to maintain the alliance." Chuuya explained, twisting his fingers together now. "A way to ensure that neither Family would betray the other."

"Alright." Kouyou hummed out, nodding her understanding. "I assume they came up with that something?"

Chuuya swallowed roughly, taking deeper breaths to steady himself again. "They did."

Kouyou raised an eyebrow in question, before placing her hands over top of Chuuya's fidgeting ones, causing him to finally look back up at her. "Chuuya, you're stalling." He nearly flinched at that. "Whatever this solution was they came up with, it's why you're here, isn't it? Why you just broke down and can't stop shaking."

"It is," he said, biting his lower-lip. "I— they proposed a union."

"Union?" she asked, puzzled at the word choice. "What kind of union?"

"Marriage." Chuuya finally said. "A marriage between the _heirs_ of the Families, actually."

Now _Kouyou_ was the one shocked into silence. Of all the things they could have suggested, could have _asked_ for, they went with an arranged marriage?! Between enemies steeped in so much hate and resentment for the other they could barely stand the sight of each other? How does that make any sense? She thought the Tsushima Family were supposed to be _geniuses_ , how does asking for a marriage make any logical sense?

…okay, actually, now that she thinks more on it, it _was_ a pretty good deterrent for betrayal; having the heirs of the two Families wed would almost guarantee that the heads of the Families wouldn't do anything to break the agreement, or it was their children's life at stake. Underhanded and sneaky with almost no way to fail, _that_ was definitely the Tsushima's way.

Kouyou blinked then, as something occurred to her. Chuuya said a marriage between the heirs—and as far as she knew, the other Family only had one heir, a son if she wasn't mistaken. Which left their Family, who had two. Her heart almost stopped beating at that thought… before it hit her all at once. His mood, his reactions, the lost of control over his Ability…

"It's you." She finally spoke, locking her eyes with Chuuya's blue ones. "You're the one…"

He nodded as Kouyou trailed off, lost for words. "Yeah, it is."

"But why?" Honestly, she was thrilled it wasn't her, but at the same time, she was just as confused as to why it _wasn't_. "I thought, given that the other Family's heir was a man, they would have chosen _me_ for the bride. It would make the most logical sense, after all."

Chuuya gave her a humorless smile. "So did I, when Father told me." He looked down at the floor again. "But, it's me. They were quite clear on that fact."

"What do you mean by, _"quite clear"?"_ she asked, head tilted to the side in question.

"More like insistent." Chuuya pursed his lips before glancing back up. "It has to be _me_ or…" he swallowed past the lump in his throat, "…or there's no deal."

"The Tsushima Family were really that adamant that it be—" she was cut off.

"No, not the _Tsushima Family_ ," he corrected. "The heir was the one who insisted." He rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. "For some unknown reason, he really wants… really wants _me_." He huffed out a sad chuckle. "And I have no fuckin' clue as to why."

Kouyou had nothing to say, nothing she _could_ say, really. She just pulled him into a tight hug, holding him as he gripped her back just a tight, petite figure nearly shaking in her arms. He wasn't crying, though, so that was an improvement.

"And, going from your reaction, and the fact that I know you so well, you agreed, didn't you?" she said softly, one of her hands moving back up to run through his hair.

He nodded his affirmation against her chest.

She sighed out. "I thought as much." And she wasn't the least bit surprised. Her brother was as loyal as they come, and with a soft heart who cared about everyone he considered important. He'll do whatever he has to to save the lives of the people he loves, even if that meant trading his own in the process.

But what worried her the most was the fact that the Tsushima Family's heir was very clear about the fact that it was _Chuuya_ he wanted, no one else. Even at the cost of a beneficial alliance. Why? That was the ten billion yen question.

Looking down at her brother, she felt how his breathing had evened out and his body became more lax in her hold. _He'd fallen asleep._ She smiled affectionately at him before gathering the petite figure in her arms before standing up, only stumbling for a second under the extra weight, before heading to the secret door at the back of her office that led to her private quarters. Once through, she headed to the guest bedroom and deposited her slumbering brother on the futon, tucking him in and placing a kiss on his head.

After leaving the room, she went back to her office. She still had more paperwork to finish and her businesses ran into the wee hours of the morning, anyways. She did send a quick text to her father to let him and Colette know that Chuuya was staying the night with her, as well as another one saying she will be needing to talk with them later. Once that was done, she let out a breath and pushed everything she just learned to the side, locking it in a box, and focused back on her work. At this point, there was nothing anyone could do to change Chuuya's mind… and Ranpo was pretty certain that this idea was what they needed to finally win, so this problem was out of her hands.

That didn't mean her father wouldn't be hearing from her on what she thought about his decision making, as well as the fact that they hadn't talked to her about any of this until Chuuya explained it all that night. Words would be said, that's for sure. She also would be there for her brother every step of the way, though, in any way he needed her.

* * *

 **Character Descriptions**

\- Chuuya Sidonie Nakahara: shoulder-length, curly striking copper orange hair with cheek- and jaw-length side-locks, a lip-length lock over the middle of forehead, and a longer section on the left side that fell to the shoulder blade; azure blue eyes; a fair complexion; a petite, muscular body with slender shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; a heart-shaped face; dainty features; well-defined cheekbones; long eyelashes; a cupid's bow mouth; 5'3"; a black leather choker—worn in the style of a pet collar  
Role: Consigliere/Executive of the Nakahara Family; Heir of the Nakahara Family; Executive Vice-President of Nakahara Enterprises; Head of the Silver Wolf Guerrilla Squad (former)  
Age: 22  
Birthday: April 29  
Nationality: Half-Japanese/Half-French  
Ability: For the Tainted Sorrow  
vessel for the God of Destruction and Calamity, Arahabaki  
revolved around gravity-manipulation, allowing him to create, shape and manipulate gravity (a natural phenomenon by which all physical bodies attract each other); able to alter the gravity of himself, as well as other objects and people, but only if he had touched it first, keeping it that way until a certain period of time passed or let it go; able to bend gravity to make the environment very "heavy" or "light"; able to repel and attract matter and energy, regardless of its mass  
Corruption: a form of his Ability used in conjunction with Arahabaki, making it exceedingly more powerful, but also more dangerous; activated by the verses: _Grantors of Dark Disgrace, / You Need Not Wake Me Again_ and caused black, red-outlined, sigil markings covering the arms in swirling lines that ended in an almost angular, C-looking shape with a dot in the center on back of the hands, more swirling lines around the neck leading to an almost angular, C-looking shape with a dot in the center over both cheeks and middle of forehead, more swirling lines along the torso, and an almost angular, C-looking shape with a dot in the center over the forearms; allowed him to create, shape and manipulate the gravitons (elementary particles that mediate the force of gravitation) in his surroundings; able to shoot balls of compressed gravity that acted as black holes that swallowed anything they touched, compressing them into oblivion; by increasing his own density, he's capable of crushing something as large as a tank with his bare hands; by decreasing his own density, he's able to fly; downside was that he had no control over it and he would continue in that crazed state, if it was not nullified, until his body broke down and he died  
Arahabaki's true form: a quadrupedal beast; midnight black fur with a mane-like heavy growth of fur around the neck and jaws, crimson red zigzag markings along the body and legs, and a crimson red almost angular, C-looking shaped sigil with a dot in the center over the forehead; a thick, longish and fluffy coat with short underfur and long, coarse guard-hairs; glowing fiery ruby eyes with slitted pupils; an elongated, powerful build with sleek muscling, a sloping back, muscular limbs, and clawed, four-digit paws; a long, lithe tail with crimson red zigzag markings along the length and the end splitting into two long, fluffy strands; a fairly narrow, large head with a triangular face, an elongated rostrum, a black nose, sharp, angled eyes, and black/dark gray-striped, twisted-backward horns at the sides; powerful, strong jaws with large, pronounced canines and carnassial teeth; long, upright, triangular ears; a permeant crimson red glow surrounding the body; had violet-black flames flickering off the back and covering the tail  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Taekwondo, Savate, Savate du Rue, Savate Knife Fighting, Wing Chun, Kung-Fu, Karate, Judo, Jujutsu, Muay Thai, Gyrisajutsu, and Close-Quarters Combat  
knife mastery: excelled in knife fighting with an emphasis in Savate Knife Fighting  
gifted intellect, master assassin, and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
master tactician: a skilled tactical mind  
master acrobat: an extraordinary master acrobat, gymnast, and aerialist; often utilized in combat for both evasive and offensive purposes; combined with extremely enhanced agility, had expertise in utilizing parkour and tricking flips in attacks and takedowns  
skilled calligrapher, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Combat Knife: a stainless steel, broad blade with a clip point; an S-guard; a black stacked leather washer hilt; a leather scabbard  
Stiletto Daggers: a long, slender, stainless steel blade with a needle-like point and a narrow cross-section; a small black hilt; a silver cross-guard  
Main Outfit: a black blazer trench coat with a rose pink inner-lining and large rose pink lapels—left open; a black 3/4-sleeved bolero jacket with rose pink thick cuffs—left open; a charcoal gray waistcoat; a white dress shirt—sleeves worn rolled up at the elbows; a black leather chest-harness that's X-crossed over the front/back and held together by a small silver buckle at the center of chest; black fitted slacks; a brown belt with a silver rectangular buckle; black leather, low-arch, mid-heeled, ankle boots; black leather gloves; a black fedora hat with a rose pink hatband; Combat Knife—kept sheathed and attached to chest-harness, under coat; twin Stiletto Daggers—kept sheathed with the hilts facing opposite sides on lower-back, in belt

\- Atsushi Nakajima: shortish-medium, light silvery-gray hair, swept forward in loose spikes, with a nape-length side-lock on the right side and uneven, asymmetrical fringe; purple eyes with yellow along the bottom curve of pupil (segmental heterochromia); a pale complexion; a slim, wiry body with slender shoulders, a narrow waist, and V-shape of the torso; deep scars on the hands; a scar on the left side of stomach; 5'6"  
Role: Caporegime of the Nakahara Family; Chuuya's Personal Assistant in Nakahara Enterprises; Second-in-Command of the Silver Wolf Guerrilla Squad (former); High School Student at Yokohama Private Academy (3rd Year/12th Grade)  
Age: 18  
Birthday: May 5  
Nationality: Half-Japanese/Half-Chinese  
Ability: Beast Beneath the Moonlight  
vessel for the White Tiger God, Byakko  
able to transform fully into a white tiger; had several varying states of transformation—which ranged from a rather large full tiger form, to just slit pupils and tiger stripes on his face; could transform and manifest various tiger body parts at will, such as tiger forearms with claws, or a tiger tail; had extreme regenerative/restoration powers; possessed immense speed, durability, strength, stamina and endurance  
tiger form: silvery-white fur with distinctive vertical black stripes and a mane-like heavy growth of fur around the neck and jaws; a short, dense, heavy coat; yellow eyes with slitted pupils surrounded by purple; a lean, powerful build with sleek muscling, powerful fore-limbs, and large paws that had long, sharp claws; a long, lithe, black-ringed tail; a large head with a slightly long postorbital region and a long, cleft nose; extremely powerful, large jaws with somewhat curved canines and fairly stout teeth; small, rounded ears with a prominent black spot on the back; deep scars on the front paws (under fur); a deep scar on left side of stomach (under fur)  
Byakko's true form: a tiger; pure white fur with distinctive vertical black stripes and a mane-like heavy growth of fur around the neck and jaws; a short, dense, heavy coat; glowing yellow eyes with slitted pupils; a lean, powerful build that had thick muscling, powerful fore-limbs, and large paws with long, sharp claws; a long, lithe, black-ringed tail; a large head with a slightly long postorbital region and a long, cleft nose; extremely powerful, large jaws with somewhat curved canines and fairly stout teeth; small, rounded ears with a prominent black spot on the back; a permeant cyan blue glow surrounding the body  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Close-Quarters Combat, Melee Combat, Tiger-Style Kung-Fu, Wing Chun, Judo, Jujutsu, and Muay Thai  
master assassin, well-versed in the art of observation, perception, deductive reasoning, and interrogation, and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
master acrobat: an extraordinary master acrobat, gymnast, and aerialist; often utilized in combat for both evasive and offensive purposes; combined with extremely enhanced agility, had expertise in utilizing parkour and tricking flips in attacks and takedowns  
skilled thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Main Outfit: a white dress shirt with the sleeves cuffed at the elbows; a loose black tie; black capri slacks; a black suspenders/belt combo with a long stretch of the belt dangling loose from the silver buckle; black leather ankle boots with slits at the front; black fingerless gloves  
School Uniform: a black gakuran uniform jacket with a mandarin collar and buttoning down from top-to-bottom; a white dress shirt—top few buttons left undone; a crimson red tie; black straight-leg gakuran uniform pants; a black belt with a long stretch of the belt dangling loose from the silver buckle; brown loafers; black fingerless gloves

\- Naomi Tanizaki: butt-length, straight raven black hair, in a princess-style cut, with the bangs swept to the side and twin jaw-length side-locks; mercury gray eyes; an alabaster complexion; a slender body with a hourglass figure, average bust, flat stomach, and slender legs; a beauty mark underneath left eye; 5'6"  
Role: Giovane d'onore of the Nakahara Family; Colette's Personal Assistant in Nakahara Enterprises; High School Student at Yokohama Private Academy (2nd Year/11th Grade)  
Age: 17  
Birthday: November 12  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: N/A  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
effective in Close-Quarters Combat and Aikido  
well-versed in the art of observation, perception, deductive reasoning and interrogation and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
skilled thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, and sleight of hand  
Main Outfit: a white sleeveless blouse with a curved collar and a smooth, woven fabric—worn tucked into skirt; a black ribbon worn tied around the collar; a cherry red A-line midi-skirt with a high-waist and a black waistband; brown suede heels with tapered heels, plentiful cutouts, and ankle straps; crimson red square stud earrings  
School Uniform: a white long-sleeved sailor fuku uniform blouse with a white stripe circling either black cuff, a black sailor-style collar (with one white stripe), and a crimson red scarf tied in the front and laced through a black loop attached to the blouse; a black pleated sailor fuku uniform miniskirt; black shin socks; brown penny loafers

\- Kouyou Ozaki Nakahara: thigh-length, straight copper red hair, kept tied into a traditional Japanese bun held by four long golden clips, with straight-cut bangs that only covered left eye, a hair clip on the right side of head composed of a pale pink furry puff topped by a magenta red ribbon which formed a three-petal flower that had two long strings dangling down, and a bubblegum pink six-petal flower-shaped bow that had twin orange strings coming off it at the base of hair at the back; scarlet red eyes; an alabaster complexion; a slender body with a hourglass figure, average bust, flat stomach, and slender legs; 5'6"; red eyeshadow; light pink lipstick; magenta pink nail polish  
Role: Consigliere/Executive of the Nakahara Family; Heiress Apparent of the Nakahara Family; Executive Vice-President and Public Relations Manager of Nakahara Enterprises; Proprietor of Ozaki Courtesan Houses (brothel)  
Age: 26  
Birthday: January 10  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: Golden Demon  
allowed her to materialize and control a sword-wielding phantom, known as Golden Demon, with her own will  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Kenjutsu, Iaidō, Shinkendo, and Kendo  
effective in Close-Quarters Combat, Judo, Jujutsu, and Muay Thai  
master assassin, expert seductress, and skilled in psychological warfare, espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
skilled tactician: a skilled strategist, being extremely skilled in using cunning deception and trickery to gain a strategic advantage  
possessed an instinctive ability to "read" behavioral characteristics and manipulate people  
skilled calligrapher, lip reader, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Umbrella Sword: a red wagasa (Japanese parasol) adorned with a 4-pointed golden flower, trimmed in pink, near the ferrule; a pure silver, suguha (straight), slender, single-edged blade; a handle with a red tsuka-ito (hilt-wrapping) and pale gold samegawa (ray skin wrap) (pressed a special button at the base of the handle to access blade)  
Katana: a suguha (straight), slender, single-edged, silver blade; a black tsuka-ito (hilt-wrapping) with red samegawa (ray skin wrap), a gold elliptical tsuba (hand-guard), and a gold kashira (pommel); a black painted saya (scabbard) with a gold kojiri (end cap)  
Main Outfit: a silk mantle with a white-colored upper-half (from shoulders to elbows) and bubblegum pink-colored lower-half (from elbows to feet), red spider lily motifs along the bottom, and bat-wing sleeves; a light pink overlapped by dark purple traditional, long, silk kimono with red spider lily motifs along the bottoms, and wide sleeves, kept closed by a maroon purple obi-belt tied in a bow with white borders; a white under-kimono; brown leather, mid-heeled, ankle boots; Wagasa—kept in hand

\- Kyouka Izumi: thigh-length, slightly curled dark bluish-black hair, worn tied into two low twin-tails by white flower pins, with bangs gathered at the center of forehead and twin cheek-length side-locks; sapphire blue eyes; a fair complexion; a petite, slender body with a hourglass figure, petite bust, flat stomach, and slender legs; 4'10"; a chain necklace with cellphone attached  
Role: Giovane d'onore of the Nakahara Family; Kouyou's Personal Assistant in Nakahara Enterprises; Junior High School Student at Yokohama Private Academy (3rd Year/9th Grade)  
Age: 14  
Birthday: November 4  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: Demon Snow  
allowed her to materialize and control a sword-wielding phantom, known as Demon Snow, with her own will  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Kenjutsu, Iaidō, Shinkendo, and Kendo  
effective in Close-Quarters Combat  
master assassin and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
master acrobat: an extraordinary master acrobat, gymnast, and aerialist; often utilized in combat for both evasive and offensive purposes; combined with extremely enhanced agility, had expertise in utilizing parkour and tricking flips in attacks and takedowns  
skilled thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Chokutō: a straight, single-edged, stainless steel blade; a light wooden rectangular hilt; a light wooden scabbard  
Main Outfit: a red long, silk kimono with a yellow sprout-like pattern along the bottom and bat-wing 3/4-sleeves, kept closed by a neatly tied yellow datejime that turned orange near the ends; white shin tabi socks; red straw zōri sandals; dark red wrist-bands that hooked around the middle fingers—around either wrist; yellow wrist-pads secured by a red ribbon—around either wrist; yellow ankle-pads secured by a red ribbon—around either ankle; Chokutō—kept sheathed in datejime  
School Uniform: a white long-sleeved sailor fuku uniform blouse with a white stripe circling either black cuff, a black sailor-style collar (with one white stripe), and a crimson red scarf tied in the front and laced through a black loop attached to the blouse; a black pleated sailor fuku uniform skirt; black shin socks; brown penny loafers; dark red wrist-bands that hooked around the middle fingers—around either wrist; Chokutō—kept on back, in specialized harness

* * *

And there we go. You can consider this the end of the prologue, basically. These first three chapters were essentially background, getting everything in order for the real story to start. But the question everyone wants the answer to... why is Dazai so insistent on having Chuuya? We shall see ;)

If you didn't catch it, Chuuya and Atsushi both are able to communicate with the Gods sealed inside them, as well as the Gods being able to talk to them. When the Gods talk to them, it was like thoughts appearing in their head, but the humans can either respond out loud or in their head.

Translations (again, used Google Translate so I apologize if they suck)  
\- Où diable avez-vous été?! J'ai été inquiet malade! Pourquoi n'avez-vous pas répondu à votre téléphone?: Where the hell have you been?! I've been worried sick! Why didn't you answer your phone?  
\- Pourquoi avez-vous l'air si écoeuré?: Why do you look so disheveled?  
\- Maman, s'il te plaît, calme-toi. Je vais bien. Atsushi et moi-même sommes allés dans la rue pour dîner, mais nous avons eu des problèmes en revenant. Rien que nous ne pouvions pas gérer.: Mom, please calm down. I'm fine. Atsushi and I just went down the street to grab some dinner, but ran into some trouble on our way back. Nothing we couldn't handle.  
\- Et j'ai oublié d'apporter mon téléphone avec moi. Je m'excuse de t'inquiéter.: And I forgot to bring my phone with me. I apologize for worrying you.  
\- petit tigre: little tiger  
\- Mon fils: My son  
\- Mon beau garçon. Je suis vraiment désolé.: My beautiful boy. I am so sorry.  
\- Mère, qu'est-ce qui ne va pas?: Mother, what's wrong?  
\- mon cher: my dear


	4. Chapter 1

_One Month Later…_

Chuuya watched the streets roll by from the tinted window of the town car he was currently in, the chatter around him dulling to background noise. He was doing everything he could not to lose it again—he's done _that_ enough for the past month, thank you very much. After multiple conversations with both his sister and Atsushi—which calmed him more than he thought it would—and copious amounts of alcohol during that first week, he has made his peace with what he's about to do… more or less. He made the decision and he knows it's the right one, but that doesn't mean he had to _like_ it. He _has_ accepted it, though.

And today is the day they will be meeting with the Tsushima Family to finalize the details of the alliance, as well as introduce him to his "fiancé" for the first time. Yeah, he still hasn't met the guy who was so intent on marrying him; not for lack of trying on their part, but Kansuke was firm on the fact that Chuuya would not go anywhere near the other heir until the details were hammered out. He didn't want the Tsushima's pulling any funny tricks, as they were bound to do.

Chuuya still didn't know if he agreed with his father's proclamation, but it did give him more time to ready himself for this.

Fidgeting against his left side pulled his attention over to the teen sitting next to him, the silver-haired weretiger doing his best to keep his cool—though, honestly, that had never really been his strong suit. His nervousness was a near palpable thing, nearly visible to anyone who looked at him. Chuuya couldn't really blame him, though.

One thing that the Tsushima's were very clear on was that once the alliance was cemented, Chuuya would be living with them, and gave them no choice but to accept those terms because they made logical _sense_. Even if they didn't like them. The Tsushima's argument was that they only have the one heir, so him leaving wasn't feasible, along with the fact that Kannushi was _just_ targeting the Nakahara Family, so the heir would be in more danger with them. That, and the Nakahara's have the _two_ heirs, Kouyou _and_ Chuuya, so the Nakahara's wouldn't really be "losing" anything with Chuuya leaving. They still have an heir apparent for the Family. A win-win that even Ranpo couldn't find the fault in—not for lacking of _trying_ , anyway.

Colette, though, wouldn't let it go so easily. She was insistent that if Chuuya was going to go live with the people who were their enemy up until a month ago, someone from the Nakahara Family would be sent with him. _That_ was nonnegotiable. Surprisingly (or not so surprisingly, Colette could be rather intimidating when needed), the Tsushima's agreed to that. So, after much back and forth on who would be the right choice to send with Chuuya, they finally landed on Atsushi. Not only because the two already had a close bond and Atsushi was strong enough to be able to protect Chuuya if need-be, but also because, if things really did get bad enough that Kannushi finally got to the Nakahara's, the two that would have been their main focus wouldn't be there. It was Ranpo who came up with it in the end, actually. That was what finally convinced both Fukuzawa and Kansuke.

The younger girl sitting on the other side of Atsushi placed a hand on his arm, getting his attention. "Atsushi?"

The weretiger managed a small smile. "I'm fine, Kyouka. Just, a little nervous, is all."

Kyouka looked like she didn't believe him, but stayed silent while taking his hand in hers, holding it for support. Chuuya smiled at the sight.

Along with Chuuya and Atsushi, Fukuzawa, Colette and Kyouka were attending the meeting as well—Fukuzawa for obvious reasons, Colette to meet the people she was handing her son off to, and Kyouka for additional back up. Although she was only fourteen, Kyouka was one of the Nakahara's best assassins, her Ability, Demon Snow, making her a deadly foe; she was well-trained by Kouyou, in both utilizing her Ability to its fullest extent and sharpening her natural talent.

"You can still turn this down, Atsushi." Chuuya said quietly, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I didn't mean for you to get dragged into this as well."

"This is my choice too, Mr. Chuuya." Atsushi said, body still a little shaky but voice firm. "I will help you in anyway I can." He took in a deep breath. "Plus, Mr. Ranpo said this was the best way for you to stay safe."

"I can look after myself just fine, though." Chuuya said anyways, crossing his arms over chest.

"You are about to walk into a situation where basically everyone there will be an enemy, Chuuya," his mother cut in then, turning from the passenger seat to look at him. "Going in alone would be foolish, not to mention suicidal. You're strong, Chuuya, no doubt about that. You're my son, after all. But numbers can always overpower strength, so _I_ would feel much better if you had someone there that I knew was 100% on your side." Her gaze softened then. "It might be selfish, but it's for my peace of mind."

"But doing anything to hurt me would break the alliance, wouldn't it?" Chuuya asked, though grabbed his mother's hand to give it a squeeze.

"It might not matter to certain people." Colette answered. "Some people might not be willing to let go of their grudges for the greater good." She shrugged. "People can be unpredictable."

Arahabaki laughed inside his head. _If anyone wants to hurt us, they will have me to answer to. I cannot have my vessel dying on me, after all. If you die, so do I._

Chuuya rolled his eyes. "So glad you have your priorities straight." He let out a huff of breath. "But, again, in case you forgot… I can't _use_ your full power. Doing so would end up killing me in the end anyway."

Colette chuckled. "Arahabaki can be quite… opinionated, can't he?"

"Says he won't let anyone hurt me." Chuuya murmured, rubbing his eyes with his free hand. "He'll kill anyone who tries." Another sigh, this one annoyed. "He still doesn't understand that I _can't_ use his power."

Colette patted his head, over his hat. "I know, dear. I _am_ sorry, but until we know a concrete way to control that power, it's just too dangerous to use. For both you and everyone around you." She still didn't know how it was stopped the first time, and that annoyed her more than she would admit.

Chuuya nodded some at that, understanding, before looking up at her again, head tilted as something that's been a recurring thought for the past month popped up. "How sure are we that the Tsushima's don't know about," he pointed to his chest, " _him?_ Or about Atsushi and Byakko?"

"As sure as Ranpo can get when dealing with that Family." Fukuzawa answered this time. "They are very adept at hiding what they do and do not know."

"Why the sudden question?" Colette asked her son, still facing him. He hadn't brought that up at all during the past month, though everyone else certainly had.

"I'm just trying to figure out what made this heir so dead-set on me, is all." Chuuya said softly, leaning his head against the window. "I've been trying to for the past month." He bit his lower-lip. "But the only thing I can think of that would make any sense would be that he somehow knows about Arahabaki and wants to possess or use that power."

"That's not the only thing you can offer, _mon cher_ ," tutted Colette disapprovingly.

Chuuya gave his mother a thankful smile at that, but said, "That may be true, _Maman,_ but it's the only thing that might be of any interest to them." He waved his hand in the air. "At least, to go to such lengths to get me."

"If there is one thing we've been able to learn in the past month," Fukuzawa said as he slowed down for a stop light, "it's that trying to understand the motives of the Tsushima's heir, Osamu Dazai, is almost impossible. The way his brain works is leagues above what any of us could comprehend or hope to match… and Ranpo can only do so much with the information he has." The car starts moving again. "The Tsushima Family is amazing at getting information, but they're also very good at concealing or manipulating it, especially if it is about them."

Chuuya rubbed a hand over his face, hiding his frustration. He hates going into things completely blind, and he's going to be at an even greater disadvantage since he's about to be _engaged_ to the Tsushima's genius heir, who probably knew a whole lot about him. _It was annoying is what it was_.

The next fifteen minutes were spent in silence, the occupants of the car each caught up in their own thoughts or musings. It was a comfortable silence, though, one they didn't feel the need to break.

Atsushi finally looked up when he felt the car slow down to a stop and out the window. "Well, it seems like we're here," he said, trying to inject an upbeat tone into his voice.

Chuuya looked out the window and up at the tall skyscraper that served as the headquarters for Tsushima Corporations and, like the Nakahara's, the living quarters for the higher-up members of the Family. It was located closer to the ports (while theirs was more in the city) and was actually pretty impressive—it looked to be about seventy floors tall, give or take, with a steel-frame, V-shaped perimeter columns, a lot of reflective windows, and a large "Tsushima Corporations" sign at the top; but the most interesting feature would have to be that it was clad in dark gray granite, being entirely sheathed in the stuff, with stainless steel straps securing it. Not bad at all.

Everyone started exiting the car then, but as Chuuya moved to do the same, he suddenly froze. The nerves that he thought he had pushed away came flooding back all at once, hitting him like a slap to the face, and it took all of his control to keep a lid on his Ability so he didn't crumple the car like a piece of paper.

Colette noticed that Chuuya didn't follow them and moved so she was standing in front of him while he was still sitting in the car. _"Respirez, mon garçon. Respirez profondément et détendez-vous._ _"_ She said sternly but softly, hands gripping his shoulders tightly. _"Écoute ma respiration et copie."_

Chuuya did just that, matching his mother's deep and calm breaths, and felt himself settle back down. _God_ ** _damnit_**. He can't _do_ that anymore. He can't show these guys one _ounce_ of weakness. He'll never survive that way.

He glanced back at his mother and gave her a nod. _"Je vais bien maintenant, Maman. Merci. Tout semblait juste me frapper maintenant, mais ça ira."_ He took another breath. _"Je dois être._ "

Colette studied him quietly before framing his face in her hands, a proud smile on her face. _"Tu es si fort, Chuuya. Vous avez la force de faire quelque chose que la plupart des gens fuiraient. Je suis si fier de toi."_ She leaned forward to place a light kiss on his forehead.

"Everything alright?" Fukuzawa asked then, stepping next to the redheaded woman.

"Chuuya?" Colette asked, eyebrow raised in question.

He swallowed down all his nerves and uncertainties before straightening his spine and nodding to them. "I'm ready." He grabbed his hat from beside him and plopped it on his head before adjusting his trench coat. "Let's get this done."

* * *

Situated in an unused conference room a few floors up, with a perfect view of the lobby and its doors from the tinted windows, stood Osamu Dazai. A glance over at the wall clock confirmed their guests should be arriving any minute now, purposely a few minutes late. And, just as he predicted, the lobby doors _swooshed_ open and their five guests entered the building. Their presence commanded attention, he'd give them that, everyone in the area turning to look at them—probably wondering what five members of the Nakahara Family were doing at Tsushima Corporations in the first place. His lips ticked up into an amused smile.

The person walking in front of the group was someone Dazai had already met—Yukichi Fukuzawa, his Uncle's special… _friend_ and the Nakahara's second _,_ dressed as usual in a black, golden bordered mantle with wide sleeves that he had draped over his shoulders, a fern green yukata with white trimming and wide sleeves, kept closed by a hunter green obi-belt, white tabi socks, and straw zōri sandals; he also had his katana on him, kept sheathed at his left hip.

After noting that, his burgundy gaze then moved to the three following behind him, identifying their faces from the reports that had been done on the Family previously.

Walking behind Fukuzawa was a stunning orange-haired woman, dressed to impress in a black sateen, double-breasted trench coat left open over a white georgette blouse, printed with pretty amaranth red painterly blooms, in a wrap-effect style with a ruffled draped panel along the front and an elasticated waist that created a flattering silhouette, and had a matching camisole underneath, black cashmere-blend dress pants that flared at her feet, black leather, high-heeled, ankle boots with square toes accented by silver hardware and elasticated side tabs, and silver bubble hoop earrings in her ears; she also had _at least_ three daggers on her person somewhere, never known to go anywhere without them. She was _easily_ recognizable as Colette Sidonie Nakahara, Kansuke Nakahara's second wife. French by birth before moving to Japan for reasons they could not discover, she was also head of the Nakahara's defenses. Gorgeous, deadly and dangerous with a sharp tongue and even sharper temper—she was formidable, with her gravity manipulating Ability, _Le Pur et L'Impur_ , paired with her prodigious skills in martial arts, she alone has taken down many foe, the Tsushima's own men included.

Next to the orange-haired woman was a young girl with bluish-black hair in twin-tails—Dazai recognized her as well, from reputation alone. Although only fourteen and looking so pure and almost childlike, Kyouka Izumi was one of the Nakahara's deadliest assassins. Looking at her, she didn't look like she could hurt a fly, dressed primly in a red silk kimono with a yellow sprout-like pattern along the bottom and kept closed by a neatly tied yellow datejime that turned orange near the ends, white tabi socks, red straw zōri sandals, dark red wrist-bands that hooked around her middle fingers, and yellow wrist- and ankle-pads secured by red ribbons. But that was what they _wanted_ everyone to think. Being trained under Kouyou Ozaki in the art of assassination and with her Ability, Demon Snow—a sword-wielding phantom under her control—Kyouka has quite the impressive resume and over fifty confirmed kills, at least. With her seemingly innocent disposition and sweet looks, who would look twice at her? It was her greatest asset.

And lastly, walking behind Kyouka, was a young silver-haired man Dazai knew to be Atsushi Nakajima—wearing a white dress shirt with his sleeves cuffed at the elbows, a loose black tie, black capri slacks, a black suspenders/belt combo with a long stretch of the belt dangling loose from the silver buckle, black leather ankle boots with slits at the front, and black fingerless gloves. He was impressively skilled as well, in both combat and with his Ability, but, oddly enough, that was all he could find out about him through the usual channels. So, for this one, he got most of his information from Gin, since they were in the same grade at Yokohama Private Academy, even having some classes together. From what the young girl could tell him, Nakajima was quiet, a little flighty and could be rather unsure of himself. But when he put his mind to something, he turned into another person. His Ability was very impressive, though— _Beast Beneath the Moonlight_. It was a shifting Ability, allowing him to transform and manifest various tiger body parts at will, but it was unknown to them if he could _fully_ transform into a white tiger; this Ability also gave him immense speed, durability, strength, stamina and endurance, as well as a high healing rate, from what Gin could see. He was also always known to be by the youngest Nakahara heir's side. Understandable why they would choose _him_ to be the one to stay.

Which led him the final individual walking into the building, and Dazai's smirk seemed to grow when he finally spotted him, the petite orange-haired man—Chuuya Nakahara. His soon-to-be fiancé. The brunet's reddish-brown gaze seen to sharpen even more, turning more crimson in the low light of the room. It's been _years_ since he's seen the other man in person, after all.

The petite redhead was dress impeccably in perfectly tailored and definitely designer clothing, but he was wearing a lot of layers, even more so then Dazai usually did. Both the black trench coat, with rose pink trimming, and black 3/4-sleeved bolero jacket, with rose pink thick cuffs, were left open over a charcoal gray waistcoat and a white dress shirt, both hugging his lean body perfectly, and the black fitted slacks, outlining his lithe legs nicely, were held up by a brown belt with a silver rectangular buckle and worn over black leather, low-arch, mid-heeled, ankle boots. As for the _accessories_ he was wearing, well… the black leather gloves fitted to his hands and black leather chest harness he had under his waistcoat were normal enough, but then there was the black leather choker he had snug around his neck—reminded Dazai of a collar on a dog, almost—and that _hat_. A fedora, the brunet thinks it was called, with a rose pink hatband was probably the tackiest thing Dazai had ever seen. He just might have to burn it.

Regardless of his fashion choices, Chuuya Nakahara garnered a lot of attention as he walked through the lobby with the easy confidence of someone who _knew_ they were both strong and attractive, something that couldn't really be taught, but could be enhanced upon with careful direction. He definitely inherited his mother's foreign looks, too—porcelain skin, azure blue eyes and curly copper orange hair… as well as her height, it seemed. Dazai's lips ticked up in amusement—oh he would have a _lot_ of fun with _that_ fact. But, from what he was able to learn, that wasn't the only thing he inherited from his mother, he also inherited his Ability—gravity manipulation as well, _For the Tainted Sorrow_ —and his combat prowess. He seemed to excel in almost as many martial arts as Colette did, making him just as fearsome, and was the head of the Nakahara's guerrilla force, the Silver Wolf Squad, a counterpart to the Tsushima's Black Lizard Squad. Explosive, passionate, reckless, emotional, powerful and immense all in a cute little package. _This_ was the man he wanted as his fiancé.

Dazai laughed to himself as his eyes continued to track the petite man as he now talked with Nakajima, thinking back on how almost everyone in his family were wondering why he was so insistent on having Chuuya Nakahara as his fiancé, even at the cost of ruining a beneficial alliance. Contrary to popular belief, he did have reasons, and most of them were good ones!

With the mental capabilities he possesses, he got bored rather easily, as nothing kept his attention for too long and almost everything being easy to predict. The petite redhead, though, was _fascinating_ to Dazai. He's captured his interest in ways nothing has for a long while. Honestly, Dazai wanted to figure out why that was. Also, the brunet liked beautiful things—beautiful _people_ , and Chuuya was one of the prettiest little things he's seen in a good while. _Definitely beautiful enough to commit a double suicide with…_ Another thing, Chuuya was strong, powerful in ways Dazai wasn't, and thought about things in a different way. That could be beneficial in the long run. And from what he'd been able to learn, the redhead was fierce in his loyalties—once you earned it, you had a powerful ally on your side. Again, beneficial. Those were some of the reasons he had in his head when he made his choice, but not the main one. The most _important_ one, actually. That was—

Dazai was knocked out of his thoughts when a hand landed on his shoulder, as well as a familiar voice calling his name. After Chuuya and the rest of that group made it further in the lobby, and he lost visual of the redhead as a result, did he turn his head some to see the face, eyebrow raised as he hummed in question.

"I have been calling your name for the last five minutes," the redheaded man sighed quietly. "What has you so distracted?"

Dazai turned around fully before giving Oda a bright, faux-innocent smile in response. "Whatever do you mean, OdaSaku?"

He rolled his sapphire eyes at the, typical, response. "What are you doing out here? You _know_ you're supposed to be in your room, Dazai."

The brunet hummed out, glancing over his shoulder in fake thought. "Oh, nothing." He turned back to face Oda, smile still in place. "Do you think a fall from this height would kill me quickly, OdaSaku?"

Oda had the patience of a saint, there was no doubt about that. Having to put up with Dazai for as long as he has does that to you—either that or you go insane. "Seeing as you've already tried when you were fourteen, I think you know the answer to that."

"Ah, you're right!" Dazai exclaimed. "My leg was in a cast for a month after that." He then pouted. "Nothing painless about that."

"Now that you've rediscovered _that_ answer," Oda started, grabbing Dazai by his bicep and dragging him to the door, "you need to get back to your room before Mr. Mori figures out you left it."

"Bleh." Dazai stuck his tongue out. "You're no fun, OdaSaku."

"Seeing as I was called away from finishing my paperwork for that merger, my plan was not to be fun," he deadpanned, still dragging Dazai behind him.

"Okay, okay!" Dazai said, throwing his hands in the air and dislodging the hand Oda had on him. "I was heading back to my room anyway. Father has some things he wanted me to go over, and give my thoughts on." He tilted his head to give Oda a smile. "I was just stretching my legs some."

A raised eyebrow was all he got back, but then Oda nodded. "Alright, I'm heading back to my office then." The redhead then looked sternly at Dazai. "Stay in your room and behave yourself, Dazai."

The young heir gave a saucy salute before entering the elevator, placing his palm on the handprint scanner followed by the retinal scan, before pushing the button marked "66"—the whole floor was dedicated to him, actually, located two floors under his parents and one under his uncle's, but he found he didn't need _that_ much space, so he had half of it redesigned into another living quarters and gave it to the Akutagawa siblings. Once the elevator dropped him at his private entrance, he headed to one of the two doors located in the small hallway—the left one, as the right one led to the Akutagawa's quarters—and pushed it open (he never locked it, never had a reason to) and walked inside.

The flooring of the entrance was flint oak hardwood, the walls painted a chelsea gray color with white trim, and hanging from the ceiling was a small metal chandelier. The entrance then forked off into two hallways, one having several doors that led to a few bedrooms and office area, while the other led straight into a surprisingly spacious living room. The flooring continued into this room with a misty blue area rug set in the middle, the walls painted an iceberg gray color, and hanging from the ceiling, in the center of the room, was a crystal light fixture; against one wall was an ebony wooden chest with a black flat-screen TV set on top of it, across from that was a L-shaped charcoal gray sectional with a light wooden coffee table framed in black iron set in front of it and on another side was a pair of chocolate brown leather armchairs. To the left of the sitting area was a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked some of the port, but mostly gave a fantastic view of the water.

Set right behind the armchairs was a dining area with a white wooden, rectangular table with six metal-framed chairs adorned with white cushions pushed underneath it, and hanging above it was another crystal light fixture. Branching off the living room was the kitchen, which was moderately sized. The floors continued on in there as well, the countertops lining the walls as well as on the medium-sized island both had pale gray granite, the walls painted the same as the living room with a white stoneware tile backsplash, and the cabinets an ivory wood with chrome hardware; there's also a silver integrated sink and top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances.

A very classy, yet sophisticated place that he had no hand in designing. His mother could take the credit for that.

He swung by his office room first to grab his laptop before walking into the living room, taking off his trench coat and tossing it on the couch and then plopping down on it himself, setting the laptop on the coffee table. He _had_ told OdaSaku he would be working on the special project his father assigned him to, but he'd already finished _that_ the same day it was given. He _would_ feel bad about tricking OdaSaku if the man wasn't so easy to trick, taking what was said to him at face-value… and, well, he just didn't feel bad about it anyway.

Opening his laptop and logging in, he tapped a few keys to give himself access to the building's security network, including all the security cameras the place has, before tapping a few more to find which conference room the meeting with the Nakahara's was occurring in. His uncle said he couldn't be a part of the meeting until all was finalized, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to watch what was happening.

Plugging in a pair of headphones and settling back in his couch, he focused in on what was happening in the room, turning up the volume. _This should be interesting_ …

* * *

We're finally getting somewhere! It will be a few more chapters before things start really happening, these next chapters being more "meeting/greeting" and introducing more of Dazai's family. Also, Dazai's POV comes in, and yes, there is an actual major reason why Chuuya was the one chosen. But you don't get to find out about that just yet. Also, I know I added more detailed descriptions of the building and Dazai's living quarters, but that was because those will be the main setting for the story from now on, so y'all needed to know what they looked like. Also, I'm just gonna state this now: Dazai is already attracted to Chuuya, both because he finds him interesting and because Chuuya is freakin' beautiful (obviously) but is not in love (yet - but tbh, that is the "odd" feeling Dazai feels, actual interest), and Chuuya, well, he finds Dazai attractive, but it'll take a bit for him to warm up to Dazai. ;)

I'm going to try to update every week or every other week. Just depends what my work and school schedule allow me to do.

French Translations (again, from Google Translate)  
\- Respirez, mon garçon. Respirez profondément et détendez-vous.: Breathe, my boy. Deep breaths and relax.  
\- Écoute ma respiration et copie.: Listen to my breathing and copy.  
\- Je vais bien maintenant, Maman. Merci. Tout semblait juste me frapper maintenant, mais ça ira.: I'm good now, mother. Thanks. Everything seemed to just hit me now, but I will be fine.  
\- Je dois être.: I have to be.  
\- Tu es si fort, Chuuya. Vous avez la force de faire quelque chose que la plupart des gens fuiraient. Je suis si fier de toi.: You are so strong, Chuuya. You have the strength to do something most people would run from. I am so proud of you.


	5. Chapter 2

I am so, so, so, SO sorry for how long it took for me to update! Life happened - school, work, family drama and a bad case of writer's block. :( But I'm back! I got my creative juices back after watching the first three episodes of Season 3 (!) and seeing how those two met animated made me so happy and the ideas started coming again! 15-year-old Dazai and Chuuya were amazing! And adorable! The hand holding nearly made me squeal in happiness! And how Dazai was so upset Chuuya was under Kouyou cuz he was supposed to be his dog. Loved it! Anyway, watching that helped. So, this is the chapter where they finally meet! I hope I did okay with keeping them in character (more-or-less). And to apologize for how long it took to get this chapter out, I made it a little longer than the other ones were. I'm hoping to keep on a better schedule for updating, but we'll see. Enjoy!

* * *

Chuuya paused for a split second as he glanced around the grand lobby—it looked like a cross between a lobby one would see in a high-class hotel and one found in an office building of a high-rise. That wasn't why he stopped, though. He was _sure_ he felt eyes on him, but didn't see anyone actively staring at him—looking at him curiously, yes, but not outright _staring_. He wanted to just shake the feeling off as him being paranoid, but even Arahabaki sensed something, moving almost restlessly in his mind. He wasn't gonna lie, it was an odd feeling… and it took quite a bit of time to get used to.

Atsushi noticed his pause and made a questioning sound. "Are you okay, Mr. Chuuya?"

The redhead swallowed down the feeling and shook it off, turning to Atsushi with a small smile. "Yeah, just fine. Thought I felt something, is all." He closed the few steps between them as the two continued walking, his boot heels clacking along the dark marble flooring, following behind the other three.

 _"Je suppose que le grand patron est trop beau pour nous rencontrer."_ Chuuya looked over at his mother when he heard her mutter under her breath before following her gaze.

She was right, Shuuji Tsushima was nowhere to be found, but his second was there, smiling serenely, as was his wife. Chuuya recognized her from the information packet provided for him a couple weeks ago, listing the main members of the Tsushima Family and what little information they had on them. Never hurt to be prepared, his father had said. With the two of them standing next to each other like that, one could definitely tell Ougai Mori and Oyama Mori Tsushima were related—raven black hair, a fair complexion, and a calculating gleam in bright magenta eyes (though Oyama's shade was more red while Mori's was closer to pink). And now both were sweeping over him, looking him over from head to toe; Chuuya felt like he was being dissected on the spot, a very uncomfortable feeling… and one he did _not_ like. Arahabaki wasn't too pleased either, hackles standing on end.

"Ougai," Fukuzawa finally greeted, stepping up to the pair, before looking over to the woman, "Oyama."

"Yukichi, it's simply been too long." Oyama greeted, head tilted to the side with a smile as she reached out to clasp her hands with Fukuzawa's; that smile, though, was just _too_ sweet, almost sickly so, and Chuuya didn't trust it on instinct. "You're looking well. I'm glad to see your new job isn't putting any undue stress on you."

Fukuzawa nodded politely back. "You as well, Oyama." He then turned slightly, motioning behind him. "I'd like to introduce you to Colette Nakahara," the woman nodded her head in greeting, "Kyouka Izumi," the young girl bowed respectfully, "Atsushi Nakajima," the weretiger gave a nervous wave, "and—"

"Chuuya Nakahara." Oyama cut in, calculating eyes still sweeping over the redhead, though an amused smirk started spreading on her lips. "The star of the show."

Chuuya narrowed his eyes at the tone of her voice, but restrained himself from replying the way he _really_ wanted to; instead, he took his hat off his head, pressed it to his chest and bowed slightly—just as Kouyou told him to when he was to meet them. _There was no need to give a bad impression right off the start._ If the slight widening of the Mori siblings' eyes was any indication, they had not expected that.

Chuuya had to hide his satisfied smirk as he straightened back up, placing his fedora back on his head. "A pleasure to meet the both of you."

"I apologize for my husband's absence," Oyama began as she started walking, leading the rest of the group away from the lobby; Mori fell back to walk beside Fukuzawa, quietly speaking with him. "He was called away on other business." She turned back some to give them another (fake) smile. "He entrusted Ougai and I to finish things here. I hope that's alright?"

Colette had to bite her tongue, instead she replied with a (just as fake) smile. "No trouble at all, Mrs. Tsushima. I just assumed he'd be here to close one of the most important deals either of our Families had ever made, but I'm sure we can handle things just fine."

Chuuya raised his eyebrows at his mother's words—he did not expect that. It was both polite and insulting. He honestly didn't know his mother could talk that way. She was always like him—speaking straightforwardly, without riddles or double meanings disguised as niceties. He was impressed.

And if the look in Oyama's eyes was anything to go by, so was she. Her smile stopped being so fake and became more amused. "I'm sure we can, Mrs. Nakahara." A slight pause. "And please, call me Oyama. Mrs. Tsushima is so formal." The smile widened just a tad. "After all, we _are_ about to be family."

Colette's eyebrow raised at that, but replied with, "Then you can call me Colette."

The group was then led into a conference room, a round, dark wooden table set in the middle with black rolling chairs pushed underneath it, papers and pens adorning the top of it. There were also two more people inside the room, a blonde woman and a black-haired individual (it was really hard to determine gender with an outfit and looks like that) that looked to be Atsushi's age. They were standing back in the corner, though immediately walked forward as the group walked in.

Fukuzawa tilted his head slightly as his eyes landed on the blonde. She was now wearing a sophisticated black suit, rather than a fancy kimono, but he's sure that was the woman who met them at the tea house. He _knew_ he'd seen her somewhere before. She _works_ for the Tsushima Family.

Atsushi's eyes squinted in thought when they landed on the black-haired one. They looked very familiar to Atsushi, but he couldn't place why. _Where have I seen them before?_

"Ah, Higuchi, Gin," Oyama spoke, nodding at the both of them. "Thank you for setting this up."

"Of course, Mrs. Oyama," the blonde said, bowing her head some respectfully.

Oyama then turned to her guests. "This is Ichiyou Higuchi," she gestured to the blonde, "our publicist, among other things, and this," she then gestured to the ravenette, "is Gin Akutagawa. She's my assistant in the company, among other titles."

So, a female then.

Atsushi's eyes widened then because that's where he's seen that person before. _She goes to YPA with me!_

"Hello," the ravenette says, in a really cute, girly voice, before looking over at the silver-haired teen. "Atsushi. It's good to see you."

"Oh?" Oyama said, in a (really fake) surprised voice. "You two know each other?"

"We go to school together, ma'am." Gin replied softly.

"How nice," the raven-haired woman said before motioning around the table. "Anyway, why don't you all take a seat? We can go over all the paperwork that was drawn up before seeing if anything needs to be added or taken off, then get this deal signed."

Everyone did just that, taking their places around the table, before copies of the contract was passed around. The next few hours were spent reading over the paperwork, points added or retracted, explained or revised. It was mostly the older adults doing the talking, the younger ones listening, as there wasn't really anything they could add. Chuuya did ask a few clarifying questions, but overall stayed quiet.

"Well," Mori said, after about four hours had went by from when they'd entered the room, "I believe that covered about everything." He looked over at his sister, who nodded, before over at Colette and Fukuzawa. "Was there anything else you'd like to add?"

Fukuzawa had shaken his head _no_ but Colette bit her lower-lip, an idea that had been niggling in her head for the past hour popping to the forefront of her mind.

"Colette?" Fukuzawa questioned, seeing the silent hesitation on her face. _"Was_ there something you wanted to add?"

She took in a breath, eyes flickering over to her son, who was giving her a questioning look back, before nodding decisively. "Yes, there is."

"And what might that be?" Mori asked, chin resting on his intertwined hands.

"A postponement to the wedding," she chewed her lower-lip again, "of sorts."

The Mori siblings glanced at each other in question, while the Nakahara Family members just looked at one another with confusion.

"The wedding is the linchpin tying this alliance together." Oyama finally said, after thinking through the reasons Colette could be adding this _now_ , yet finding none. "Without it, there is no deal." She gave the redheaded woman a frosty look. "You all agreed to this."

Colette gave a heated glare right back. "And I'm not saying we call it off. I'm saying that it be postponed until results are gathered."

"And what do you mean by that?" Mori asked, head tilted.

"You are getting my son in this agreement," Colette started, looking over at Chuuya before back at them, "but how are we to know you will actually get us the results we need?"

"Are you doubting our commitment?" Oyama asked cooly. "Or are you questioning our information gathering capabilities?"

Colette waved that off. "Neither, of course. We are very well aware of how good you people are at getting information. And we aren't doubting your commitment."

"Then?" Oyama questioned, calming down.

"Just think of this as a… trial period." Colette said, crossing her arms over her chest. "The two will be engaged, Chuuya and Atsushi will still be living here, but before the marriage can actually take place, I want _results_."

Fukuzawa looked over at Colette, a little surprised. This was never brought up in the past month they've been talking this over. This must be something new she just thought of. But, honestly, it wasn't a bad idea.

 _And by the looks on both Oyama and Ougai's faces, they knew it too._

Oyama settled back into her seat, looking at the redhead with something like… respect? "What kind of results?"

"Like we've said," Colette started, leaning back in her seat as well, "the only reason we're doing this alliance is because we can't find anything on this group. And it's been three months." She ran a hand through her curls. "So, when I say _results_ , I mean a new lead, something that will get us one step closer to putting a stop to these attacks."

Oyama hummed her understanding before looking over at her brother, eyebrow raised. As the Underboss, he had the authority to either accept or deny the request, given that the Boss, _her husband_ , wasn't here.

Mori rolled the options around in his head, but he couldn't find any faults in that logic, if he was being honest. It was reasonable, and something they probably would have done if the roles were reserved. Plus, they weren't pulling out of the agreement, they were just making sure the Tsushima Family held up their side of the bargain.

"Alright, you have a deal." Mori finally replied.

Colette sat up a little straighter after his words, honestly surprised it was that easy, but glad that it was. "Good, thank you."

Oyama turned to the second-to-last page of both of the final contracts (one for the Nakahara's, one for the Tsushima's) and added in Colette's condition, adding her initials beside it. Once that was done, she signed her name underneath the signature of her husband's (as he had already signed) at the bottom of the pages before passing it over to her brother, who did the same thing. She then pushed the two contracts across the table to Colette, who signed her name before bringing out a stamper.

"What's that?" Oyama asked, though was pretty sure she knew what it was.

"My husband's signature." Colette said, placing it on the paper, above her signature, before doing the same on the other contract. She then looked up. "Since he couldn't be here in person, he gave this to me, as well as the authorization to do so." She reached into her coat's pocket and pulled out a sealed envelope, placing it on the table before pushing it to Oyama. "This is a certified letter allowing me to do so, by the way."

Oyama took the envelope, but didn't open it. "Very well."

Colette passed the contracts over to Fukuzawa, who signed both as well, before it was finally placed in front of Chuuya.

The petite redhead glanced down at the contracts, before looking over at his mother, who smiled and passed him a pen. He took it from her, steadying his breathing as he did so. This was it. As soon as he signed this, his life was no longer his own. He would be the fiancé of the Tsushima Family's heir, and then… his husband, _part_ of the Tsushima Family. A hand landed on his knee, his mother's, before giving it a reassuring squeeze. At that—at the reminder of _why_ he was doing this—his nerves settled and he flipped to the very last page, where there was only one signature present—the signature of his fiancé, _Osamu Dazai Tsushima_. His eyes traced the ink, trying to get a feel for the man through his penmanship alone, before giving up and adding his own _full_ name to the page of both contracts— _Chuuya Sidonie Nakahara_.

With that, the alliance was sealed.

* * *

Dazai smiled as he watched the petite orange-haired man place the pen down on the table once he finished signing his name on the contracts. _Right next to his_. A moment after that, his cellphone, which was resting right next to the laptop on the coffee table, started buzzing. He checked the screen.

 _Uncle_

Dazai narrowed his eyes, flicking them between the laptop screen, watching as the black-haired man left the room, and his phone, before picking it up and accepting the call.

"Uncle Mori!" Dazai said with (fake) enthusiasm. "What can I do for you?"

 _"As I'm sure you're well aware, the contract has been signed."_ Mori started, with no preamble. _"The alliance has been secured."_

"And how would I know that?" Dazai asked, (fake) confusion in his tone and a pout on his lips. "I've been in my room the whole time, just like you told me to."

 _"I'm sure you were, Dazai."_ Mori said, a little condescendingly. _"But that doesn't mean you aren't aware of what took place in the meeting."_

Dazai just hummed out, not bothering to reply.

 _"So I'd like you to go the conference room you were in earlier, when you watched the Nakahara Family arrive,"_ he instructed, a knowing smirk in his tone.

"Conference room?" Dazai questioned, playing dumb. It wasn't a surprise his uncle knew where he had been, after all.

Mori ignored him. _"I think it's time for you to meet your fiancé, don't you?"_ And with that, he hung up, having said what he needed to.

Dazai stared down at the phone screen before rolling his eyes, returning them to the laptop screen just as Mori walked back in. He said something to his mother before turning and looking straight at the hidden camera in the room, eyebrow raised and mouth in a smirk.

Dazai scoffed before closing his laptop and standing, grabbing both his phone and trench coat before leaving his living quarters. He whistled his favorite suicide song as he walked down the short hallway and entered the elevator, pressing the button for the floor he had previously been on. Mori had been right about that, at least. It _was_ about time he and Chuuya finally met each other.

And Dazai couldn't _wait_ to see what the smaller man would do then.

* * *

Once the contracts had been signed, Mori had excused himself to make a phone call before coming right back in a minute later, talking to his sister, and then asking Chuuya if he would please follow him—it was time to meet his _fiancé_. After talking down both his mother and Atsushi from coming with him— _yes, I'll be just fine meeting him on my own_ —he followed after Mori to an elevator at the end of the hall, both getting in.

The silence in the elevator was stifling, to the say the least. Chuuya kept to the far corner, not wanting to seem rude but, honestly, Ougai Mori put him on edge. And not just him, Arahabaki too. There was something about the older man that rubbed him the wrong way. He was glad the man didn't make small talk with him either as the elevator continued its movement upward. The elevator finally stopped and Chuuya was ushered out, with Mori right behind him, and then led to another door that looked identical to the one he just left.

 _So, probably another conference room._

"Dazai should be waiting inside for you." Mori finally said, giving another one of those creepy smiles. "Take as much time as you need." Then the other man was walking away, back to the elevator.

Chuuya took a minute to compose himself, smoothing down his clothes and running a gloved hand through his hair to neaten it up a bit, though cursing himself the entire time. Kouyou's teachings on always looking your best, especially for first meetings, were drilled so deep into him that it'd become second nature by now. He didn't care what he looked liked to his so-called _fiancé—_ at least that's what he was _trying_ to tell himself.

One more deep, steadying breath before he placed his hand on the doorknob and turned it, pushing open the door and stepping inside. As soon as he closed the door behind himself, he looked up, finally locking eyes with the man he was to marry—Osamu Dazai, leaning against the back wall across from where the door was situated, on the other side of the large table.

The first thing to catch his attention were his eyes—they almost looked like the color of old blood, maybe from the lighting, but they were _intense_. In that instant, he felt like this man could see through him and down to his very soul, find and figure out every single one of his secrets. Those were the eyes of a mastermind, a high-caliber strategist. In some ways they reminded Chuuya of Ranpo's, when he was using his Ability, but Dazai's were just more… _more_. He was someone who could see twenty steps ahead of any situation and find a solution to any problem in less than a minute.

He could see why this man was known as the Demon Prodigy.

Once he got past the eyes, he looked to see a young man, definitely his age, who was… very handsome, if he was going to be honest. A lanky build that didn't seem to posses much muscle, though that's not to say he looked _weak_ , a mop of mildly wavy hair the color of dark chocolate with bangs both gathered over the center of his forehead and framing his face, somewhat light tan skin and narrow eyes (much like his mother's) which actually seemed to be more of a burgundy brown color. The brunet was dressed in a trench coat the color of sand, with a plum brown inner-lining and the belt left untied, kept open over a chocolate brown waistcoat and pale blue dress shirt—both the coat and shirt's sleeves were rolled up to about his forearms—but instead of a normal tie, the man was wearing a brown bolo tie that seemed to be kept together by some kind of azure-colored pendant; below the waist, he was wearing beige khaki pants, a black belt with a silver rectangular buckle, and dark brown dress shoes. Fukuzawa also warned him that Dazai seemed to carry some kind of gun, maybe kept in a back-waistband holster… not that it really mattered much to Chuuya.

When his eyes moved back up his body, he noticed something else. Much to his displeasure, the brunet was taller… by maybe seven or eight inches. _Dammit, why is everyone so goddamn tall!_

 _I do not believe it is that everyone is tall, only that you are short._ Arahabaki chimed in his head, amusement lacing his words.

Chuuya pointedly ignored the God because something _else_ just caught his attention—what the hell was with all those goddamn bandages? Was the man hurt or something? Was Chuuya marrying a weakling after all? He knew the Tsushima weren't known for their brawn, but the amount of bandages the brunet was wrapped in was just absurd.

Furrowing his eyebrows, the ginger tilted his head in question before finally speaking. "What the hell is with all those bandages? You look ridiculous." Chuuya wanted to smack himself. The first words he'd ever spoken to his fiancé, and it was basically an insult. Kouyou would've killed him if she were here.

Dazai's eyebrows raised, in surprise it seemed, before a glint of amusement flashed in his eyes. "Oh really?" He then snorted. "You know what, I don't want to hear fashion criticism from someone who would willingly wear a hat like _that_." The brunet motioned at his fedora, his face now twisted in childish disgust. "And in public, no less."

The look made his hand fly to his precious fedora instinctively, expression turning into a scowl. "What the hell is wrong with my—" Chuuya cut himself off as the wording Dazai had used occurred to him. "Wait a second, did you just say _fashion?"_ His eyebrows furrowed again as he looked the man up and down. "So you _aren't_ injured?"

The brunet looked amused again. "Yes and no."

"What the hell does that even mean?" Chuuya's hands were now resting on his hips in exasperation. "You either are or you aren't."

Dazai had the gall to simply shrug, not answering his question as his attention focused back on his head. "Really, I have to know— where did you find such a tacky hat?"

The ginger clenched his jaw. Not even three minutes in and he wants to strangle this bastard. "It's not _tacky_ , you mummified freak." He let out a low growl. "And only someone _insane_ would consider wrapping himself in bandages as a fashion statement."

The smirk on the brunet's lips widened, pushing himself off the wall he had been leaning against and moving closer to the table that separated them. "What about the collar then?"

Chuuya looked at Dazai in confusion. "Collar? What are you talking about?"

Dazai shook his head in mock embarrassment. "Oh, my bad, I meant to say your _choker_." His head tilted to side, hair following the movement as his eyes swept over the piece of leather in question. "Though collar is a much more fitting name for it, I think." Both Chuuya's jaw and fists clenched in annoyance once more as Dazai tapped his chin in faux-thought. "Does that make you a dog, then? The rumors about you would make it seem so— loyal to a fault and as rabid as one in battle. The Nakahara Family's very own dog." Those old blood eyes then moved to meet his, almost burning in their intensity that it made Chuuya want to look away, but he didn't (he wasn't a coward). "Well, I guess that would make you _my_ dog now, wouldn't it? I mean, I _do_ own you now."

Chuuya was struck speechless by that, with two dominant emotions rolling around him at the moment. The first he was trying to desperately ignore—the shivers skating down his spine to lodge somewhere lower as that sweet-as-honey voice rolled over him, sounding like pure sin. _No one_ should be allowed to sound like that, it just wasn't fair. So, he focused on his second emotion—pure pissed-off _anger_. _This smug son of a bitch was about to learn why you don't taunt the rabid dog._ Dazai watched in amusement, and in some amazement, as a crimson red glow started to surround the shorter man.

Before he could even think through his actions, Chuuya had grabbed the rolling chair closest to him, the crimson glow of _For the Tainted Sorrow_ moving to affect the chair in question, now making it as heavy as a boulder, before he was chucking it at the infuriating bastard.

Of course Dazai had already predicted that something like this would happen, so he merely spun out of the way of the projectile, watching in fascination as the chair hit the wall behind him and left a deep crater in it, like a large rock had hit it and not a mere chair. _So he_ ** _can_** _manipulate the gravity of anything he touches. How interesting._

Dazai looked back over at the petite ginger, who seemed to be staring at the dent he made with shock, before letting out a reprimanding _tsk_. "So naughty, Chuuya~ Now we're going to have to have that wall fixed." He crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "It seems like you were never trained. Do I have to discipline you like bad dog too?"

Chuuya's eyes— _so pretty, so_ ** _blue_** —snapped up to his in an instant before he was growling out, "You absolute piece of shit! I am not a dog!" His fists clenched beside him. "I'm going to kill you if you don't shut up!"

Dazai, to the ginger's surprise, started clapping happily like he just received the best news instead of being scared (like he should be). "Would you really?!" He clasped his hands to his chest then and pretended to swoon. "Maybe you really aren't that hopeless!"

Chuuya, still thrown by this peculiar reaction, could only respond with, "What is your _problem?_ Are you some kind of suicidal brat?"

Now Dazai was pouting. "I really don't want to be called a brat by someone so tiny they could probably fit inside a bottle." Then he was smirking again, as condescendingly as possible. "Didn't you drink your milk when you were younger? How are you still this short?"

And just like that, Chuuya's fragile patience and self-control snapped, that same red glow from before enveloping him and he was suddenly airborne. After decreasing his own mass, he launched himself over the conference table in a split second and right at Dazai, nothing in his head but the need to punch him right in his stupidly-handsome face.

But Dazai had predicted this too.

As soon as Chuuya was right in from of him, Dazai grabbed ahold of the petite man's wrist, a flash a light blue coming from the contact, before spinning with the momentum and ending with him pinning Chuuya to the wall, right next to the crater he had just made.

Chuuya was shocked when he suddenly had his mass back, but even more so to find himself pinned to a wall. _What the hell just happened?_

"You look confused." Dazai suddenly said, hand still wrapped firmly around the other's wrist.

Chuuya blinked as he looked up at the brunet, not even trying to hide that confusion, before shouting, _"What the fuck did you just do to me?!"_

If possible, Dazai looked even more smug than before, head cocked to the side as he continued to gaze down at the ginger. "I'm guessing none of you were able to figure out what my Gift was, were you?"

No, they weren't. Not for lack of trying, though. Even _Ranpo_ couldn't figure it out. Among other things they'd figured out about the family, it seems the Gifts the top tier of the Tsushima Family possessed were a closely guarded secret. They only knew about the one _Mori_ had, and that was only because of his relationship with Fukuzawa. As for the others, nothing. Absolutely nothing. But Osamu Dazai's? His was the closest guarded secret of them all. All they knew for sure was it was strong, and dangerous. That was the only thing they could figure out, from what the rumors had said.

Chuuya was starting to understand that they might not be exaggerated.

"I'll take your silence as a _no_." Dazai said, hand tightening its hold on Chuuya slightly. "Since we're about to be married and all that, I guess I can tell you." He leaned down slightly, less than an inch between their faces. "My Ability, _No Longer Human_ , can nullify the Abilities of anyone I touch." He released his grip as he then danced his fingers lightly over the ginger's wrist in a gentle caress, up and down. "It doesn't matter how strong the Ability. As long as I'm in physical contact, their Gift is rendered useless." His head tilted slightly, smile dropping some and eyelids dropping to half-mast. "I'm the ultimate _Anti_ -Gifted."

Chuuya sucked in a sharp breath after that admission (not because Dazai was so close to his face, don't be ridiculous!), before something he should've noticed right away slammed into his awareness. _I can't feel Arahabaki._ For as long as Chuuya could remember, he has always been able to hear, or at least sense, the God in one way or another, as he's always been a part of him… but, right now, he can't. It's like he isn't _there_ anymore. _Is it because of Dazai? But that shouldn't be possible. Arahabaki is a_ ** _God_** _, not a mere Ability. There's no way he could be nullified, right?_

Before today, he would've been confident in those thoughts, but right here, right now, he's not so sure anymore. The fact is, he can't sense Arahabaki, nor use his Ability… and it's Dazai's fault. That fact suddenly broke his stasis, propelling him to yank his hand from the brunet's and shove the man away from him. Everything snapped back into focus the second there was space between them.

 _—uuya. Chuuya Nakahara! Can you hear me? Hey, are you there, you brat?!_ He finally heard Arahabaki shout at him, the words ringing loudly through his mind.

 _Who the hell are you call a brat, you overgrown black hole!?_ Chuuya shouted back at the God in his mind, though kept his eyes on Dazai, who was watching him right back—he almost seemed surprised by Chuuya's reaction.

Arahabaki seemed to give a sigh of relief. _There you are. What happened? I was not able to hear or sense you for a good two minutes. I do not think that has ever happened before._

Chuuya didn't have the time to explain to the God what happened with Dazai's unnerving eyes watching him. _I'll explain it all later, okay? Just not now. It isn't a good time._

Arahabaki _humphed_ but agreed, going quiet once more… but still _there_.

With that settled, Chuuya narrowed his eyes once more, glaring at the brunet. "Don't _ever_ do that again, you waste of bandages."

Dazai raised an eyebrow. "Do _what_ , exactly? _Touch_ you?" His lips turned up into what Chuuya was starting to think was his default smirk. "That might be a bit difficult, Chibi." He leaned closer to the ginger, smirk growing when Chuuya visibly fought the urge to lean back. "We _are_ about to be married, after all."

Chuuya clenched down on his teeth. "Who the _hell_ are you calling _small_ , you mackerel-eyed bastard?!"

Before Chuuya could react, Dazai had tapped his nose lightly, but didn't keep the contact—much to Chuuya's relief. "You, of course. You're so tiny I feel like I need to get a leash for that collar of yours so I don't lose you in a crowd!"

Dazai ducked out of the way of Chuuya's _foot_ this time, switching positions with Chuuya in the process, before the petite hatrack was grabbing another chair. Dazai, wisely, threw himself over the table, sliding across the slick surface and landing on the other side just as the chair was hefted after him. Like before, the mass was increased, and not wanting to fix another hole, Dazai stepped out of the way before tapping the chair on its way past him, nullifying the ginger's Ability on the object. It then hit the door, but didn't take it off the hinges, like it would've if he hadn't touched it.

The brunet _tsked_ again. "I thought I told you it isn't nice to make unnecessary holes in other people's buildings, Chuuya~ Your brain seems to process things at a slug's pace, huh?"

Chuuya let out a yell of pure frustration, much to Dazai's ever growing amusement, but before he could launch either another chair or _himself_ at the smug asshole, there was a knock at the door before it was pushed open. There, in the hallway, stood both their mothers.

The two women took a moment to take in the scene before them—Dazai and Chuuya on opposite sides of the room, a deep dent in the wall behind Chuuya with a chair laying next to it (seemingly the cause of said dent), another chair laying discarded near to the door, and then the young men themselves. Chuuya was fuming, looking the angriest and most annoyed Colette has ever seen him before, while Dazai looked plain amused, hands in his coat pockets and childish glee in his eyes, looking the most entertained Oyama has ever remembered her son being.

Oyama cleared her throat, looking over at her son in question. "I take it your introductions went well?"

Dazai's eyes moved to his mother, smirk widening. "But of course! My dear fiancé and I have been having a great time," he looked back over at the ginger, "right, Chuuya?"

Chuuya looked about three seconds away from exploding, Colette noted. _They've only been in this room for about thirty minutes. What happened in that time to make Chuuya this pissed off?_

"Just fantastic." Chuuya gritted out, finally composing himself and locking every _emotion_ this man just evoked from him. He can't lose it in front of his mother, and even more so in front of _Dazai's_ mother. He'll deal with everything later… by beating the shit out of a punching dummy, maybe. He rounded the table then, coming to stand next to his mother.

"That's… good." Colette said slowly, not quite believing Chuuya's words, but knowing not to push things. "I've already contacted Kunikida to start having your and Atsushi's belongings brought over." Her gaze moved to the brunet, spine straightening some as she registered his gaze. _It was so intense, that of someone who saw_ ** _everything_** _you were trying to hide._ "Where should I have their things delivered?"

"Floor 66." Dazai waltzed closer to the petite woman, ignoring Chuuya's glare. "It's where my living quarters are, after all."

"Yours?" Colette asked, hesitant.

Dazai's smirk turned downright devilish. "Yes, _my_ quarters. Where else would my future bride be living?"

Nope, Chuuya was going to punch the bastard now, screw their audience. But before he could even make a step, his mother's hand was tightening around his forearm, Ability active, halting him. _But that stupid mackerel called him a bride! He wasn't a goddamn woman!_

Colette could feel the animosity coming off her son—as did the man in front of her, but it only seemed to amuse him further. She shook the arm in her grip to get his attention, but deactivated her Ability. _"Calme-toi, Chuuya. Peu importe combien tu veux tuer cet homme, tu ne peux pas. Pas encore, au moins. Nous avons toujours besoin de leur aide."_ She narrowed her eyes at him seriously. _"Rappelez-vous pourquoi nous faisons cela."_

Chuuya huffed out a few more angry breaths before closing his eyes and forcing himself to calm down. His mother was right, of course. _"Désolé, Maman. Tu as raison."_ He let out another harsh breath. _"C'est juste… ce connard pousse chacun de mes boutons. Sans effort! Ce n'est pas juste!"_

Colette moves her hand to rest on Chuuya's head, over his hat. _"Je comprend, ma chère. Mais rappelez-vous, c'est ce qu'ils font bien Vos réactions lui donnent tout ce dont il a besoin. Gardez juste votre esprit concentré sur la tâche à accomplir, essayez d'ignorer ses mots."_

 _"Plus facile à dire qu'à faire, Maman."_ He let out one last breath before composing himself. _"Mais j'essayerai. Je promets."_ He looked up at her and smiled some.

 _"C'est tout ce que je vous demande, mon garçon."_ She patted his head one last time before dropping her hand.

At the beginning of that whole exchange, Dazai and his mother exchanged bemused looks as they listened to the two Nakahara converse in fluent French. Honestly, Dazai didn't really think the petite redhead could get any more appealing, but then he goes and does _this_. Honestly, the foreign words were beautiful coming from those cupid's bow lips. What made it all the better was the fact that they didn't seem to realize he—his mother, too—could understand French, as well as several other languages he'd learned when he was bored. But he wasn't going to let this little fact slip just yet. Better to let them think he had no idea what they were talking about. A glance at his mother told him she agreed.

When the conversation seemed to come to a close, Dazai clapped his hands together lightly, getting the two gingers' attention. "Don't you know it's rude to talk in a different language in front of other people?"

Chuuya scoffed, looking away, while Colette turned to face the man again before inclining her head slightly. "You are right, our apologies. That was rather rude, wasn't it?"

 _This family never ceases to amaze me,_ Dazai thinks, smirk widening at Colette's words, but even more so at Chuuya's _reaction_ to those words—annoyed disdain.

"I don't think were were formally introduced either." Colette added, moving a little closer to the taller man, Chuuya making sure to stay right behind her. "I'm Chuuya's Mother, Colette Sidonie Nakahara. It's a pleasure to meet you." She gave a formal greeting bow, shocking Chuuya a little. His mother is just full of surprises today.

"Osamu Dazai," the brunet responded in kind, giving her a bow too. "It's an honor to meet such a beautiful woman who is going to be my mother-in-law."

 _"Un bavard, hein?"_ Colette muttered to herself while her son just scoffed again. _"Cela pourrait être dangereux."_

 _"À peine."_ Chuuya murmured under his breath, having heard her.

Ignoring that, Dazai straightened back up, placing his hands back in his coat pockets. "As much fun as this has been, I believe you said Chuuya's things were being delivered?"

Colette nodded. "As well as Atsushi's." She, as well as Chuuya, followed Dazai and Oyama out of the room, heading to the elevators. "Speaking of, where will he be staying?

Oyama pressed the _down_ button for the elevator car while Dazai looked back at their guests. "Ah, yes, Atsushi." His gaze moved to Chuuya, amusement dancing in his eyes once more. "You're bodyguard, if I'm not mistaken." He knows he's not, but he also knows how much the wording will irk the smaller man.

"Atsushi is _not_ my bodyguard, you asshole." Chuuya bit out, hands clenched in his coat pockets and eyes narrowed at Dazai. "He's my friend." He tossed his head. "Like _I_ would need a bodyguard."

Colette rolled her eyes at that before looking as the elevator finally arrived, the four boarding it; Oyama pressed the _lobby_ button.

"To answer your question," Dazai said, looking back over at Colette, "Atsushi will be staying with the other two who live on my floor."

"What?" Chuuya asked, a little taken back. "You're not the only one living on your floor?" That was unusual, especially for the heir of the Family.

Dazai waved his hand in the air, like he was waving away a pesky fly. "No, no. I didn't need all that space."

"And who might these people be?" Chuuya asked lowly, reigning in his temper once again.

"Ryuunosuke and Gin Akutagawa. They're a pair of siblings that work for us." Dazai answered, glancing between the two gingers. "I believe you met Gin earlier, in your meeting."

"You mean the one you weren't present for, dear?" Oyama finally spoked, asking the question with a raised eyebrow and amused twinkle in her magenta eyes.

"Of course, Mother!" Dazai said, smiling innocently. "I just assumed Gin would be in the meeting, given she _is_ your assistant."

Oyama just let out a chuckle, turning away from her son at the answer.

"Atsushi did say he went to school with Gin." Chuuya said, mostly to himself. _He should be okay, right? Plus, they're on the same floor. If anything happens—_

Arahabaki interrupted his train of thought. **_If_** _anything happens, Byakko would protect the boy in an instant. You know that better than anyone_.

Chuuya let out a silent sigh. _You're right, of course. I still can't help but worry, I didn't mean to drag him into this._ He shook his head some, getting rid of such thoughts. _Atsushi_ ** _will_** _be fine._ Arahabaki chuckled some at the forceful statement, but agreed with him.

The three in the elevator noticed Chuuya's sudden silence, though only Colette knew the real reason as to why—he was talking with Arahabaki. Before she could speak, distract them from looking any closer at Chuuya, the elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open to the lobby.

Chuuya had barely set foot off the elevator when a white-haired blur was suddenly running right at him, skidding to a stop in front of him.

"Mr. Chuuya!" Atsushi exclaimed, a little out of breath. "Are you okay? Did everything go alright?"

Chuuya smiled some before he reached up and ruffled Atsushi's hair. "I'm okay, Atsushi." And as for his _other_ question…

"Aww! Chibi can barely even reach the top of his head! Isn't he younger than you?" an annoying voice called out from right behind him.

Chuuya clenched his jaw, biting down on the instant reflex of drop-kicking the brunet into a different building. " _Alright_ isn't the word I'd use."

Atsushi had to resist the urge to take a step back, hackles raising instinctively at the ire and pure annoyance he can feel radiating off the ginger. "Mr. Chuuya?" He looked back and forth between the two men.

"You must be Atsushi!" the brunet said cheerily, moving to stand next to Chuuya now.

"Yes?" the silver-haired boy said slowly, more like a question as he glanced back over at Chuuya, who seemed to be restraining the urge to commit murder, before over at the bandaged man once more.

"I'm Osamu Dazai." the man greeted, holding out a hand to shake. "Nice to meet you!"

"You as well." Atsushi said, remembering the manners Miss Kouyou drilled into him as he reached up to return the handshake… though he didn't get the chance to.

Chuuya's hand shot out, grabbing onto Dazai's arm (over his coat, no skin contact) and squeezing it. "Don't _even_ think about it, you bandaged asshole."

"Mr. Chuuya?" the weretiger said, confused, while Dazai merely smirked, like he expected this to happen.

"So protective," the brunet murmured out, smirk widening. "And here I though he was _your_ bodyguard, Chibi."

The grip on Dazai's tightened. "I told you already, he is not my bodyguard!" He threw the brunet's arm away from him, face lined in annoyance.

Atsushi was about to ask what was going on, but Chuuya glanced over at him and mouthed _later_ , so Atsushi let it drop as the ginger moved over to stand next to him while Dazai wandered away from them, being called over by someone else—a black-haired man with round glasses. As soon as Dazai left them, Chuuya went on to explain to the teen their living arrangements… and to say Atsushi was shocked was an understatement.

"I'm going to be living with Gin, and her _brother?"_ Atsushi asked, arms crossed tightly over his chest. "But I don't even know the guy! Wouldn't that be rude or something?"

Chuuya laid a calming hand on Atsushi's bicep. "We'll still be on the same floor, so it won't be too bad." He gave a small smile. "And I doubt they'd tell us this if it wasn't already alright. You already know Gin, at least."

Atsushi relaxed some, dropping his arms. "That's true." He glanced around the lobby. "What about her brother? Did they tell you anything about him?"

"All I know is his name— Ryuunosuke Akutagawa." Chuuya told him, his arms crossed over his chest now, foot tapping on the floor. "He's about two years older than you, with some sort of battle-oriented Ability. That's it." He ran a gloved hand through his hair, displacing his hat some. "Like anything to do with this Family, information is very hard to get. You might want to ask Gin about him, if you really want to know."

The weretiger blew out a breath and nodded. "Okay. I think I will." He scratched the back of his head. "Is he here now?"

Chuuya shook his head. "That waste of bandages said he was out on some mission, but he should be back in a day or two."

Atsushi raised an eyebrow at the nickname, remembering the earlier hostility. "You sound like you really don't like Mr. Dazai."

Chuuya huffed out an unamused breath, glancing over at where the brunet was still talking with the black-haired man, before back at the teen. " _That_ is an understatement." His fists clenched. "That asshole is a _menace_ , and I don't see how anyone could like him after spending just _two_ minutes with him."

This is the most upset Atsushi's seen Chuuya in a long time. "What did he do to you? You were only together for like thirty minutes!"

"He insulted everything from my height to my clothes, pushing every single one of my buttons like he just _knew_ where they were!" Chuuya spat out, teeth grinding. "But that wasn't even the worst part."

Atsushi cocked his head in question.

The ginger blew out another breath harshly. "I can't tell you that here, though. Later." He glanced around. "Too many ears."

Atsushi looked surprised at that, before realizing it probably had something to do with their Gods.

"Just," the teen looked back at the ginger, "don't let your guard down around these people." He gave Atsushi a serious look, lowering his voice. " _Either_ of you, got it?"

Atsushi, though puzzled, nodded. "Of course, Mr. Chuuya."

* * *

 **Character Descriptions**

\- Oyama Mori Tsushima (OC): waist-length, straight raven black hair with choppy bangs; magenta red eyes; a fair complexion; a slender body with a hourglass figure, moderate bust, flat stomach, and slender legs; sharp eyes; 5'8"  
Role: Consigliere/Executive of the Tsushima Family; COO of Tsushima Corporations  
Age: 42  
Birthday: January 7  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: The Courier  
the ability to teleport herself and others to a location that had been previously marked with her own blood; since the destination was predetermined, she did not need to worry about "not seeing where she was going"  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Kenjutsu, Nitōjutsu, Ninjutsu, and Close-Quarters Combat  
expert markswoman: a very accurate marksman skilled in sharpshooting; accuracy was virtually unerring; able to hurl objects with extreme speed and accuracy, both in direct aim and complicated rebounds/interactions  
proficiency and discipline in shooting with a consistent grip and form  
immense intelligence, master assassin, and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
master tactician: a masterful strategist due to high intelligence  
possessed an instinctive ability to "read" behavioral characteristics and manipulate people  
skilled in psychological warfare: art of manipulating the mind to get the desired reaction from the victim  
skilled lie detector, lip reader, cryptographer, thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
twin 2907K Hissatsu: a tanto-style, dual-grind, single-edged stainless steel blade; a Japanese-pattern, twin-fused, double injection-molded handle with a high-impact polypropylene core, butt and hilt and a rubber grip surface  
SIG-Sauer P226R: a full-sized, service-type, semi-automatic pistol; a double-action trigger; a locked breech short-recoil method; a Nitron-coated, stainless steel slide; an anodized aluminum alloy frame; a decocking lever on the left side of the frame above the magazine release button; a rail on the underside of the frame, just forward of the trigger guard; double stack magazines  
Main Outfit: a black cotton-gabardine double-breasted trench coat with horn buttons, buttoned epaulettes, a dark byzantium purple inner-lining, and a tie belt—left open; a dark byzantium purple crepe top with a slightly loose fit, bishop long sleeves, and a plunging keyhole cutout at the front accented by a black tie-fastening; black silk-blend, high-rise, slim-leg pants; dark brown satin mules with the straps and edges dotted by crystals; two-toned gold and white bronze bubble hoop earrings; twin 2907K Hissatsu—kept sheathed with the hilts facing opposite sides on lower-back; SIG-Sauer P226R—kept holstered at right hip; hair's worn up in a high ponytail

\- Ichiyou Higuchi: nape-length, straight golden yellow blonde hair with choppy bangs and twin jaw-length side-locks; deep reddish-brown eyes; a fair complexion; a slender body with a hourglass figure, average bust, flat stomach, and slender legs; 5'6"; black rectangular sunglasses  
Role: Caporegime of the Tsushima Family; Public Relations Manager of Tsushima Corporations; Commander in the Black Lizard Squad  
Age: 25  
Birthday: May 2  
Nationality: Half-English/Half-Japanese  
Ability: Unknown Name  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Close-Quarters Combat  
expert markswoman/sharpshooter: an expert all-around master markswoman, highly skilled in wielding conventional firearms with virtually unerring accuracy; due to superior eyesight and impeccable hand-eye coordination, capable of firing multiple shots in a few seconds, strike enemies's weak points with extreme accuracy and directly hit small targets in the greatest of distances; able to hurl objects with extreme speed and accuracy, both in direct aim and complicated rebounds/interactions; extremely capable of hitting multiple targets in a few quick shots and directly hitting small targets in the greatest of distances, never missing; had superior hand-eye coordination; had limitless patience; able to plan meticulously; capable of intense concentration for long periods of time under adverse conditions  
proficiency and discipline in shooting with a consistent grip and form  
master assassin and skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage  
possessed an instinctive ability to "read" behavioral characteristics and manipulate people  
skilled thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
Glock 17: a full-size service pistol, shooting the 9x19mm pistol cartridge; a short-recoil operated, striker-fire semi-automatic pistol; a high-strength polymer frame; a steel slide with a matte black Tenifer finish; a safe-action trigger system; an integral accessory rail; a white-dot front sight; a white-bracket rear sight dovetailed into the slide and drift adjustable; slide cycles on 4 hardened steel guide rails within the frame; two standard 17-round magazines or two 10-round magazines  
M249 SAW: a belt-fed, gas-operated, open bolt, light machine gun; a quick-change, air-cooled barrel; a folding bipod with adjustable legs attached near the  
Steyr SPP: a semi-automatic machine pistol; a short-recoil, locking rotating barrel; a delayed blowback; constructed mainly from Polyamide 66  
Sub-Machine Guns  
Main Outfit: a black grain de poudre wool blazer jacket with a button fastening at front, padded shoulders, and a nipped-in waist—left open; a white oxford blouse; black grain de poudre wool flared dress pants with a concealed hook and zip fastening at front; a black belt with a silver buckle; black loafers; a black shoulder harness—worn underneath jacket with Glock 17 kept holstered; hair's kept tied up in a messy bun

\- Gin Akutagawa: butt-length, wavy, silky raven black hair with a few chest-length side-strands; silvery-gray eyes; a fair complexion; a slender body with a hourglass figure, petite bust, flat stomach, and slender legs; 5'4"; a black leather choker with a white cross on it  
Role: Giovane d'onore of the Tsushima Family; Oyama's Personal Assistant in Tsushima Corporations; Commander in the Black Lizard Squad; High School Student at Yokohama Private Academy (3rd Year/12th Grade)  
Age: 18  
Birthday: February 4  
Nationality: Japanese  
Ability: N/A  
Capabilities/Weapon(s) -  
expert in Ninjutsu, Kenjutsu, Knife Throwing, and Close-Quarters Combat  
expert markswoman: a very accurate markswoman skilled in projectile weaponry; accuracy was virtually unerring; able to hurl objects with extreme speed and accuracy, both in direct aim and complicated rebounds/interactions  
master assassin, skilled in espionage, intelligence gathering, infiltration and sabotage, and well-versed in the art of observation, perception, deductive reasoning and interrogation  
possessed an instinctive ability to "read" behavioral characteristics and manipulate people  
skilled thief, pickpocket, lock picker, bluffer/fast talker, concealer, sleight of hand, and escape artist  
twin Chokutō: a straight, single-edged, stainless steel blade with an angled tip; a black wooden rectangular hilt; a black scabbard  
Stiletto Daggers: a long, slender, stainless steel blade with a needle-like point and a narrow cross-section; a small black hilt; a silver cross-guard  
Glock 26: a subcompact semi-auto pistol; striker, short-recoil operated, and locked-breech barrel; dual recoil spring assembly; a high-strength polymer frame; a steel slide and barrel with matte black Tenifer finish; finger grooves on the front strap and a finger rest on the front of the trigger guard aid; slide cycles on 4 hardened steel guide rails within the frame; a white-dot front sight; a white-bracket rear sight; two double-stack 10-round magazines  
Main Outfit: a black asymmetrical-sleeved, flared, leather coat with a hood and a long right sleeve and no left sleeve; a gray pin-striped, V-neckline t-shirt; black leather pants; a black belt with a silver buckle; black leather, mid-heeled, ankle boots; rose pink fingerless, bicep gloves; a white surgical mask that covered the lower part of face; twin Chokutō—kept sheathed with the hilts facing opposite sides on lower-back, in belt; Glock 26—kept in holster on left hip; hair's kept tied up into a spiky bun with a few loose strands along the left side of face  
School Uniform: a white long-sleeved sailor fuku uniform blouse with a white stripe circling either black cuff, a black sailor-style collar (with one white stripe), and a crimson red scarf tied in the front and laced through a black loop attached to the blouse; a black pleated sailor fuku uniform miniskirt; black tights; brown penny loafers; twin Chokutō—kept up the sleeves, in specialized harness

* * *

So? How was it? Please let me know, I love to read comments - they make me soooo happy! I feel pretty good about it. Also, my little head cannon is that Dazai learns different languages when he's bored, so he can understand a lot of them, same with his parents and Mori. Sounds like something he would do. Also, Akutagawa will soon be introduced, promise, but I kinda liked the idea that Gin and Atsushi already knew each other.

Translations (like usual, used Google Translate so I apologize if they suck)  
\- Je suppose que le grand patron est trop beau pour nous rencontres.: I guess the big boss is too good to meet with us.  
\- Calme-toi, Chuuya. Peu importe combien tu veux tuer cet homme, tu ne peux pas. Pas encore, au moins. Nous avons toujours besoin de leur aide.: Calm down, Chuuya. No matter how much you want to kill this man, you can't. Not yet, at least. We still need their help.  
\- Rappelez-vous pourquoi nous faisons cela.: Remember why we're doing this.  
\- Désolé, Maman. Tu as raison.: Sorry, Mom. You're right.  
\- C'est juste… ce connard pousse chacun de mes boutons. Sans effort! Ce n'est pas juste!: It's just… this asshole pushes every single one of my buttons. Effortlessly! It's not fair!  
\- Je comprend, ma chère. Mais rappelez-vous, c'est ce qu'ils font bien Vos réactions lui donnent tout ce dont il a besoin. Gardez juste votre esprit concentré sur la tâche à accomplir, essayez d'ignorer ses mots.: I understand, dear. But remember, that is what they're good at. Your reactions are giving him everything he needs. Just keep your mind focused on the task at hand, try to ignore his words.  
\- Plus facile à dire qu'à faire, Maman.: Easier said than done, Mom.  
\- Mais j'essayerai. Je promets.: But I'll try. I promise.  
\- C'est tout ce que je vous demande, mon garçon.: That's all I ask of you, my boy.  
\- Un bavard, hein?: A sweet talker, huh?  
\- Cela pourrait être dangereux.: That could be dangerous.  
\- À peine.: Hardly.


End file.
